Who Should I Start? Ja'Tavion Sanders or Zach Heins

Tuesday, November 26, 12:15 AM

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (neck) avoided a serious injury during Sunday's Week 12 to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to an update from head coach Dave Canales. In the first half of Sunday's game, Sanders came down hard on his head and neck area. Medical personnel placed him on a stabilizing backboard and transported him to a local hospital for further evaluation. He was discharged the same day, and Canales said that the rookie tight end was back in the Panthers' facility on Monday. It's fair to assume Sanders' Week 13 availability is up in the air, but the good news is that he didn't suffer a serious injury and might be able to avoid a stint on injured reserve. Tommy Tremble would step up as the Panthers' primary tight end if Sanders needed to miss time.

Thursday, July 11, 4:37 PM

Former South Dakota State University tight end Zach Heins signed with the Los Angeles Chargers after being unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a slow start to his collegiate career, Heins caught 56 passes for 757 yards and 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons. With the Chargers, he's in one of the weaker tight end rooms in the NFL, and Daniel Popper of the Athletic believes he has a shot to make the 53-man roster following training camp. "Heins, out of South Dakota State, is over 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds. He projects as a capable inline blocker. The Chargers have been very clear about wanting to build a physical and imposing running game," Popper wrote. "To do that consistently, they need run blockers at tight end. They signed an elite run blocker in free agency in Will Dissly. But I think they need more run-blocking behind Dissly." It sounds like Heins won't be much of a pass-catcher if he makes the roster, but he should still be on the fantasy radar in ultra-deep leagues if he's active in Week 1. The Chargers could opt to carry four tight ends on game day, so he'll need to beat out one of Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., or Stone Smartt.