Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Ian Thomas


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

Zach Ertz News

Zach Ertz Cleared for Football Activities, Wants to Play in 2026

Tuesday, August 4, 5:51 PM

Former Eagles, Cardinals, and Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (knee) has been cleared for football activities and wants to play in the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Ertz suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Week 14 last season, marking his second ACL tear. He was seen catching passes from former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck at Stanford, where they played together in 2010 and 2011. If Ertz suits up for the 2026 season, he will be 36 years old, in his 14th NFL season, and coming off a late-season ACL injury that looked gruesome. Fantasy managers should lower expectations for the veteran tight end. While we're unclear about any exact landing spots for Ertz in 2026, wherever he goes will have fantasy implications that affect fantasy drafts this season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.1 0.0 0.0 0.4 4.5 0.0

Ian Thomas News

Raiders Add Tight End Ian Thomas

Tuesday, March 25, 1:32 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Tuesday that they signed free-agent tight end Ian Thomas (calf) to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Thomas will head to the AFC West after spending the first seven years of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers after they selected him in the fourth round (101st overall) in the 2018 NFL draft out of Indiana. The 28-year-old never really established himself as a fantasy asset in Carolina, with his best season coming in his rookie campaign with a 36-333-2 line on 49 targets in 16 games (six starts). Thomas landed on Injured Reserve in 2024 with a calf injury and only caught three of six targets for seven yards in five games (two starts). He scored four touchdowns in his first three seasons but hasn't found the end zone since. In Vegas, he'll provide TE depth behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and will remain off the fantasy radar.


Zach Ertz vs. Ian Thomas

Still trying to decide between Ertz and Thomas? 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 Ian Thomas is projected to score 1.1 points.