Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Nick Vannett

Monday, July 8, 4:28 PM

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz was once one of the most productive players at the position. While his numbers have been on the decline over the last few years, Ben Standig of The Athletic reports that he looked good in offseason activities this summer. "Ertz, 33, showed more speed than expected in practices," Standig wrote. "Injuries are more concerning than the three-time Pro Bowler's remaining talent." The 2013 second-round pick could be heavily relied on by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels early in his NFL career, especially while rookie tight end Ben Sinnott makes the transition to the next level. Ertz is unlikely to possess TE1 upside at this stage of his career, but he might produce mid-range TE2 numbers, making him worth rostering in deep PPR setups. The former Stanford Cardinal enters 2024 in 12th place on the all-time receiving list by a tight end with 7,434 yards.

Monday, May 13, 4:10 PM

Free-agent tight end Nick Vannett is signing with the Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. The 31-year-old spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers and caught one pass for three yards in eight games played. Vannett is a former third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2016 and has spent time with seven organizations in seven years. Overall, he's hauled in 91 of his 130 career targets for 877 yards and six touchdowns. He'll likely compete with 2023 fifth-round pick Josh Whyle for the TE2 role in 2024, but Chigoziem Okonkwo remains the lead tight end for quarterback Will Levis after this signing.