Arizona Cardinals TE Zach Ertz has been fighting a hamstring injury, which left him a game-time decision last week against the Detroit Lions. What is his status ahead of the Week 16 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts? Will Ertz be available for fantasy football playoff lineups, and how has he contributed to the Cardinals since being traded?
Update 12/25/21: Zach Ertz is officially active for the Cardinals tonight against the Colts.
Will Zach Ertz play tonight vs. the Colts?
As mentioned, Ertz was a game-time decision last week against the Lions, but ultimately ended up playing. Despite the Cardinals’ upset loss, Ertz totaled 74 yards on 6 receptions while still not quite 100% healthy.
This week, Ertz missed practice on Tuesday and Wednesday but returned to full participation on Thursday. His first recorded full practice of the week all but confirms that he will play this weekend. While that is not yet official, Arizona needs Ertz on the field, particularly with DeAndre Hopkins out for the remainder of the regular season. The rest from practice is merely a precaution as Arizona manages his reps ahead of the game.
Reborn in Arizona?
Things turned a little stale for Ertz in Philadelphia, and it seemed his time there was coming to an end. That became official when he was traded to the Cardinals ahead of the trade deadline, giving him a fresh start.
The move seemed to work wonders not only for Ertz but for his old teammate Dallas Goedert too. Both have seen an increase in productivity, with Ertz landing in a seemingly well-suited spot amongst an exciting Cardinals offense.
Ertz has seen an increase in targets over the last couple of weeks, especially with Hopkins sidelined. Since arriving in Arizona, Ertz was averaging around 5 receptions per game. But in the last two weeks, that average is up to 9. He recorded a season-high 11 targets in Week 15 against the Lions, catching 6 passes.
Things are looking good for Ertz, and his stock is rising for these last three games of the season. He’ll be very important as a target for Kyler Murray, as guys like himself and A.J. Green need to step up to help the Cardinals hold the top spot in the NFC West.
Ertz’s fantasy expectations
Ertz has largely been a good play at tight end since coming across to Arizona. He’s had a couple of quiet weeks, but with Murray throwing at him 11 times last week, and his targets trending upwards, he might be a sneaky good play for Week 16.
Ertz and the Cardinals are facing a strong Colts team. However, surprisingly, they don’t play all that well against tight ends. In fact, the Colts rank as a bottom-four defense against opposing tight ends in terms of fantasy points.
The Colts’ run defense is far stronger than their pass defense. I wouldn’t put off starting Ertz because of the matchup at all.
This is a very important game for the Cardinals, who have now been caught by the Rams. Both teams sit on a 10-4 record, and Arizona can’t afford to slip up now with only three games left in the regular season.