Who Should I Start? Zach Ertz or Tyler Higbee

Monday, February 16, 6:30 PM

Washington Commanders impending free agent tight end Zach Ertz (knee) may be 36 years old, but he has continued to be a productive pass-catching weapon on the offensive side of the ball. Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns across 13 games, ranking as the overall TE19 in PPR leagues. He has 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons, averaging 10.1 fantasy points per game during that span. His final stat line from 2025 is even more impressive when you remember the quarterback situation he was dealt. Jayden Daniels missed plenty of time due to injury, so Ertz found himself catching passes from Marcus Mariota. He was shut down for the season by the time Josh Johnson earned any quarterback snaps, though. Ertz tore his ACL in Week 14, leaving plenty of question marks about his availability for 2026. Furthermore, he's a free agent this offseason, so we don't even know if he'll end up back in Washington. It's quite possible that a team with an established, young No. 1 tight end signs Ertz, allowing him to recover before filling a depth role. That'd be a rough scenario for fantasy managers, so selling high on him in dynasty leagues might be the right choice this offseason.

Wednesday, February 18, 11:02 AM

Los Angeles Rams impending free agent Tyler Higbee has been a key weapon in the organization for a full decade, but he could be headed for a change of scenery as he enters free agency in 2026. Higbee played 10 games in 2025, missing the remaining seven due to an ankle issue. He was held to just 25 catches, 281 yards, and three touchdowns, ranking as the overall TE40 in PPR leagues. It was another underwhelming year for the veteran tight end, who has been healthy for just 13 of 34 games over the last two years. Not only has Higbee's recent downturn made him a non-priority for the Rams in free agency, but so has the emergence of two key teammates. Colby Parkinson scored eight touchdowns in a late-season breakout, and the Rams also invested significant draft capital in Terrance Ferguson, who had five catches, 87 yards, and two touchdowns over his final two games as a rookie in 2025. There's no real spot for Higbee in this offense, especially if he and the Rams don't agree on a salary. If Higbee, 33, wishes to return for an 11th NFL season, it seems likely it'll be with an organization other than the Rams.