2022 Fantasy Upside
Zach Ertz, traded to the Cardinals from the Eagles last season, agreed to terms on a three-year contract to stay with his new club. The deal is worth $31.65 million with $17.5 million guaranteed. Ertz, who turned 31 last November, made an immediate impact after his Week 6 arrival in the desert. In the process, he tied the Cardinals' single-season record for catches by a tight end, doing it in just 11 games. Ertz finished ninth in receiving yards among tight ends last season, his ninth in the NFL. Last year was the first time Ertz played a full season since 2018 and just the fourth time in his career. There will be changes to the Cardinals' receiving corps, however. Christian Kirk is gone, but Marquise Brown was acquired in a trade with Baltimore. In addition, DeAndre Hopkins will miss the first six games due to suspension. So, even with rookie Trey McBride added to his position, Ertz and A.J. Green will provide some continuity to an otherwise evolving receiving corps. Expect a valuable -- and fantasy relevant -- role for Ertz.
2022 Fantasy Downside
The addition of McBride could eventually be a concern even if it's not immediate. Hopkins' return from suspension could also be a limiting factor.
2022 Bottom Line
As 4for4's John Paulsen noted, in his 11 games with the Cardinals last season, Ertz was the TE4 in fantasy. As the 10th tight end off the board in the 10th round, he appears to be a nice value and he's not without upside.