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Zach Ertz had a down year in 2020, but returned to fantasy relevance in 2021 and managed to play in 17 games. He was traded to Arizona ahead of Week 7 and was the TE5 in half-PPR scoring from then on.
With DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six games of the upcoming 2022 season, Ertz projects to be heavily involved once again. Unfortunately, he has not yet seen the field in the preseason and has been missing practice due to a calf injury.
Entering his 10th season, injuries could be a concern for Ertz at age 31. Will he be ready to go for the Cardinals come Week 1?
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Is Zach Ertz Injured for the 2022 NFL Season?
On August 4th, Ertz left the Cardinals' practice field early after injuring his calf. He has yet to return to practice and has not appeared in either of the team's preseason games.
Although it would be nice to see him get some action before the start of the regular season, Ertz is an experienced veteran who fit in quite nicely with the Cardinals' offensive scheme last year and quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray. Fantasy managers should not have any doubts that Ertz will be both involved and productive whenever he is fully healthy.
Will Zach Ertz Play In Week 1 for Fantasy Football?
The severity of Ertz's injury has not been disclosed, but Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury recently stated that Ertz is progressing:
Kliff Kingsbury says Arizona Cardinals TE Zach Ertz is “coming along” from a calf injury
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) August 10, 2022
Again, this doesn't tell us how serious of an injury Ertz sustained, but if it were overly concerning, we would probably know by now. Fantasy players should be taking a "no news is good news" approach as it relates to Ertz's calf.
Ertz and his wife, Julie, also just welcomed their first child last week, which could be another reason why he isn't rushing to get back out there right now.
For the time being, Ertz is expected to suit up for Arizona's home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Should I Draft Zach Ertz In 2022 Fantasy Football Leagues?
With an average draft position in the eighth round, Ertz is currently being selected as the TE10 in fantasy drafts. His stock could go up a bit if it is made official that he will play in Week 1, but Ertz should still be a great pick for drafters who choose to forego the early-round tight ends. He has already proven that he has top-five positional upside in the Cardinals' offense.
Additionally, there will be over 16 targets per game vacated during Hopkins' suspension as Arizona lost both Christian Kirk and Chase Edmonds in free agency this offseason. Marquise Brown and Darrel Williams were added, but Ertz's 7.36 targets per game from Weeks 7 through 18 in 2021 will likely remain intact throughout 2022. He is familiar with the offense and has been a reliable pass-catcher for the duration of his lengthy career.
Zach Ertz with DeAndre Hopkins available last year (4 games):
* Route on 70.6% of dropbacks
* 14.2% target share
* 4.5 targets per gameErtz without Hopkins (7):
* Route on 89.2% of dropbacks
* 23.1% target share
* 9 targets per game— John Daigle (@notJDaigle) August 3, 2022
Unless Ertz suffers a setback and is forced to miss the beginning of the season, he projects to be a great value in fantasy drafts as a TE1 for your team.
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