Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Ian Thomas

Wednesday, May 27, 6:01 AM

Free agent tight end Zach Ertz remains unsigned as most teams around the league gather for organized offseason workouts, but he has gone on record that he intends to return for 2026. Ertz suffered a devastating ACL tear in a Week 14 loss to the Vikings, but he is determined not to have that be the final play of his career. The 35-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was playing well before the injury, on a 17-game pace of 69 catches for 698 yards after his first season in Washington ended with 654 yards and seven touchdowns. A nine-month recovery timeline would put Ertz in line to return to action for the start of the 2026 season, and depending on where he lands, he could still carve out a fantasy-relevant role as the NFL shifts to a new normal of having multiple tight ends on the field at once. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE44, he's a practically forgotten-about trade target who could add depth for contending managers.