Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Mark Andrews

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.

Friday, January 30, 3:43 PM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews had his least productive season since his rookie year in 2025, recording 48 receptions for 422 yards and five touchdowns on 70 targets across 17 games played. Following Baltimore's Week 7 bye, Andrews played fewer than 70% of his team's offensive snaps in every game. He also earned four or fewer targets in 11 contests. Part of Andrews' drop in production can be attributed to missed time from Ravens' quarterback Lamar Jackson, which impacted the team's offensive output overall. However, the veteran tight end's numbers were only slightly better in the 13 games Jackson was active for in 2025. Heading into 2026, Andrews will be entering his age-31 season and may simply be slowing down. Baltimore will also have an entirely new coaching staff in place, which could lead to changes across the roster. From a fantasy perspective, Andrews profiles as an increasingly difficult tight end option to trust in both redraft and dynasty formats.