Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Sam LaPorta


Week 1 Projections

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0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Zach Ertz News

Zach Ertz Plans to Return for 14th Season

Tuesday, February 24, 5:40 AM

Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz (knee) plans to return in 2026 for a 14th NFL season and is expected to be cleared right around Week 1, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ertz, who will be a free agent next month, is two months into rehab from a torn ACL. The 35-year-old veteran ranks fifth in catches and eighth in yards among tight ends in NFL history, including 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last before before suffering his season-ending knee injury in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7. Given his age and uncertainty about whether he'll actually be 100% ready to play in the season opener this fall, Ertz's fantasy stock will drop considerably going into the 2026 season. In his first year in Washington in 2024, Ertz had a 66-654-7 line in 17 games played.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Sam LaPorta News

New Offensive Philosophy Could Help Sam LaPorta Break Back into Top Tier of Tight Ends

Tuesday, March 24, 5:27 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta entered the league with a bang, finishing his 2023 rookie season as the TE1 and working his way to the top of most dynasty value charts. After a disappointing sophomore season and a 2025 campaign ended by a back injury after only nine games, his value sits as low as it has since he's taken a snap in the NFL. The Lions have made a change to their coaching staff for 2026, bringing Drew Petzing in from Arizona to serve as their new offensive coordinator. While the target competition in Detroit is much stiffer than what Petzing left behind in the desert, his tight end-friendly system was a not-insubstantial factor in Trey McBride's breakout, spraying his dominant fourth-year player with 302 targets over the past two seasons, including 163 for a record-breaking TE1 finish in 2025. LaPorta has already proven his ability to feast off a high-volume attack, and with his value still suppressed by injury, he's a high-upside buy-low candidate heading into his fourth season.


Zach Ertz vs. Sam LaPorta

Still trying to decide between Ertz and LaPorta? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Zach Ertz is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Sam LaPorta is projected to score 0.0 points.