Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Sam LaPorta


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 Plans to Return for 14th Season

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.


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

Sam LaPorta News

Sam LaPorta Remains an Intriguing Dynasty Target Post-Injury

Wednesday, May 6, 7:17 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) is working on returning from an injury that sidelined him for the final eight games of the 2025 season. Because of the injury, he finished as the TE27 in PPR leagues, catching a modest 40 passes for 489 yards and just three touchdowns. LaPorta wasn't a major touchdown threat last year, but he was on pace to set a new career-high in receiving yards before the injury. Together, he and Amon-Ra St. Brown stepped up as highly dependable targets for quarterback Jared Goff. While this is a crowded offense, the Lions have shown that they can make it work. Goff is capable of supporting big years from all of LaPorta, St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs. As a result, as long as he's healthy in 2026, we expect a big bounce-back year from LaPorta. He's the TE6 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings, and dynasty managers can get him at a discount because he's coming off an injury.


Zach Ertz vs. Sam LaPorta

Still trying to decide between Ertz and LaPorta? 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 Sam LaPorta is projected to score 0.0 points.