TE · WAS · GWTTKB

Zach Ertz — fantasy football 2026

Every game, every stat category, and what the board says. 9.72 points per game in 2025, an ADP of 170, usage worth 10.1.

35 years old · 13 seasons of experience · 2013 draft class

Updated 2026-08-16 · free, no account, no paywall
Every figure below comes from our database. Where a stat is not held, the row is absent rather than zero.
ADP 170
Consensus across 1 books, 0 picks between cheapest and priciest. Cheapest on espn, priciest on espn.
ESPN170
FFA402

Draft-room facts

Goes aroundRound 15, pick 2 in a 12-team draft
Positional rankTE65

The offense he plays in, 2026

Washington Commanders returns 4 of 6 continuity slots, replacing te1, oc. Jayden Daniels at quarterback, Dan Quinn as head coach, David Blough calling it. The offense projects to 30.1 pass attempts a game at medium confidence and 27.7 rushes.

In: Antonio Williams (wr2), Brandon Aiyuk (wr3), Dyami Brown (wr5), Rachaad White (rb2), Kaytron Allen (rb4), Chig Okonkwo (te1). Out: Deebo Samuel (wr2), Austin Ekeler (rb2), Chris Rodriguez Jr (rb3), Zach Ertz (te1).

The projected target split across the offense:

Brandon Aiyuk21.8%
Terry McLaurin18.6%
Chig Okonkwo10.2%
Antonio Williams9%
Jaylin Lane7.7%
Rachaad White6.2%

Our written view on this offense in 2026

What the offense looks like: Terry McLaurin has been struggling with injuries & is aging. The Commanders have young WR talent that can step up, but they are going to need it quickly. Chig Okonkwo could provide immediate help to Jayden Daniels. But Jayden has to play at a high level. I believe Jayden can be a top 5 QB in the NFL & he has not historically struggled with injuries throughout his career. There is a risk in this offense if Jayden gets hurt again, but when healthy, this is an offense that the top RB will be highly relevant, should have a productive TE, and can support fantasy relevance out of multiple WR.

Key additions: Signed RB Rachaad White from Tampa in free agency (Jayden Daniels college teammate). Signed WR Ryami Brown in free agency from Jacksonville. Signed TE Chig Okonkwo from Tennessee in free agency to 3 year deal (starter). Drafted RB Kaytron Allen in the 6th roud. Expected to sign WR Brandon Aiyuk in free agency.

Key departures: OC Kluff Kingsbury is gone afer disaster 2025 season (promoted David Blough to OC). Lost WR Deebo Samuel in free agency. Lost TE Zach Ertz due to ACL injury because Marcus Mariota got his knee exploded on a hospital ball across the middle of the field.

Notes: Williams round 3 WR could connect early with Daniels. Terry McLaurin is aging, but if he can stay healthy, he will produce over next few years. Signed TE Chig Okonkwo who could 100% produce well with Jayden Daniels but hadn't provded it with Titans yet. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is set to be 1A RB while they sign Bucs RB Rachaad White in free agency. Could function as 1B and recieving back. Very curious to see how this dynamic turns out. Brandon Aiyuk WILL SIGN with Commanders or be traded to them. Unsure if he will be good following knee surgery, but he will be in Washington next Season. Daniels top 5 SF dynasty QB. Buy him. Rookie WR Williams, WR Dyami Brown, & Treylon Burks all have a chance to operate as WR2 or 3. Only 1 can win the full time job though.

How the volume number was reached: Same QB Jayden Daniels returning — anchor to 2025 actuals (27.6 att/g); Regressed 42% toward league mean 33.5, floored at 30 → 30.1 att/g; New OC David Blough — pass rate and tempo may shift.

Offensive environment: WAS rates 23 against a league average of 23, exactly at it on opponent-adjusted least squares (multi-capture merge).

2026 schedule

Opponent-adjusted pass defense faced, against 2025 ratings. Positive is an easier slate.

Full season-0.2 · neutral
Weeks 1–6+3.6 · easier
Weeks 12–17-3 · harder
Fantasy playoffs (15–17)-7.5 · harder

Read this narrowly. Our own testing found that season-long strength of schedule does not survive as a draft input — defensive quality is among the least stable team properties year to year, and a preseason slate is built on last year's identities. The playoff-weeks column is the only one we would let break a tie, and even then it is a tiebreaker rather than a reason. The finding.

What happened when he missed time

From the absence record rather than a depth chart — who actually gained when he was out.

SeasonGames missedMain beneficiaryTheir PPR gain
20222Trey McBride+1.8

Dynasty context not redraft

Everything in this section is about his dynasty trade value — what he is worth as a long-term asset in the trade market. It is not a forecast of his 2026 fantasy scoring. A player can be a fine redraft pick while his dynasty value falls, and the reverse. The redraft read is above; this is a different question with a different answer.

Where he sits in the dynasty value cycle

His dynasty value has moved -46% over the last twelve months. The market cycle classifies him as post-crash. The base rate that applies: after a -25% crash, TEs recover only 30% of the time (keep falling 70%).

For context on how long this lasts at the position: the average career at his position produces 1.3 elite seasons and 2.3 startable seasons.

The five most similar seasons, and what their dynasty value did next

Matched on production profile — production-driven (pedigree ignored). The last column is how that player’s dynasty value moved the following year — a market outcome, not a scoring one.

PlayerSeasonTheir PPGSimilarityNext year
Dalton Schultz20231081%-17.2%
Tyler Conklin20237.270%+24.5%
Juwan Johnson20248.263%+55.3%
Dalton Schultz2024762%+11.1%
Will Dissly20247.361%-27.9%

Of the 5 with a following season on record, 3 gained value, 2 lost it and 0 held roughly flat.

Four years of dynasty value

02,0004,0006,000202120222023202420252026
Monthly superflex value, 2020-04 to 2026-07. Down 79% across the series, peaking at 5,164.

The player

Draft capital and athletic profile

Height6′5″
Weight249 lb
40-yard dash4.76s
Vertical30.5″
Broad jump111″
3-cone7.08s
Shuttle4.47s

Availability and volatility

Career PPR per game9.7
Week-to-week variation0.6
Boom rate22.8%
Bust rate24.6%
Games missed per season0.5
Injury historyAnkle, Knee
Correlation between his posted line and his actual score-0.12

That correlation is how closely the books’ posted line tracked what he actually scored, week to week. A higher number means the market has him figured out and there is less to exploit; a lower one means his weeks are harder to price.

Injury type matters more than games missed. Measured across our injury database, knee and foot returns stay below a player’s pre-injury baseline for all three of the first games back, while hamstring returns over-recover by the third.

The record, season by season

2025 · WAS · 13 games

His best game was Week 13 against DEN — 20.6 PPR on 13 targets and a 28.9% target share, in a game that finished 26-27. His worst was Week 5 against LAC at 0, on 1 targets, final score 27-10. Across 13 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 5 times. In the 4 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 12.8; in the 9 decided by more, 8.4. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 10.1 points per game. He scored 9.72, 3.3% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 4 against 2.55 expected, a gap of 1.5.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1NYG21-611.63526117.2%64%
2GB18-2718.46864120%90%
3LV41-246.83338016.7%52%
4ATL27-346.12421016.7%61%
5LAC27-10001004.3%53%
6CHI24-2516.36643125%60%
7DAL22-4412.73737122.6%67%
8KC7-285.64616020%62%
9SEA14-388.64446019%63%
10DET22-449.44554022.7%81%
11MIA13-168.24842027.6%75%
13DEN26-2720.61013106028.9%67%
14MIN0-312.11211010%69%

Production

Receptions50
Targets72
Receiving yards504
Touchdowns4
Points per game9.72
Yards per target7
Catch rate69.44%

Role

Snap share66.46%
Target share19.28%
Air-yards share20.32%
WOPR0.431
RACR0.758

Efficiency

Average depth of target9
Yards after catch per reception2.5
Yards before catch per reception7.6
Total YAC123
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted96.1
Receiving EPA per game0.9

Scoring position

Red-zone targets8
Red-zone target share17%
End-zone target share17.4%
Expected receiving TDs2.55
Actual receiving TDs4
Receiving TD luck1.45

Who else ate

The offense threw it 469 times. He took 16.67% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Deebo Samuel22.92%
Zach Ertz 16.67%
Terry McLaurin13.89%
Jaylin Lane7.41%
Jeremy McNichols7.18%
Chris Moore5.32%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jayden Daniels7339.966.8816.87%
Marcus Mariota6399.457.122.1%

Blowouts against close games

7 of his 13 games were blowouts, 35.8% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 6.46 in those and 12.8 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2024 · WAS · 17 games

His best game was Week 17 against ATL — 25.2 PPR on 7 targets and a 20% target share, in a game that finished 30-24. His worst was Week 9 against NYG at 1.5, on 1 targets, final score 27-22. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 7 times. In the 12 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 11.2; in the 5 decided by more, 8.5. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 10.3 points per game. He scored 10.44, 5.7% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1TB20-375.83428016.7%71%
2NYG21-1810.24462013.8%65%
3CIN38-338.85538021.7%64%
4ARI42-147.23322010%68%
5CLE34-1332810029.6%57%
6BAL23-3010.84568015.2%80%
7CAR40-7144540120%58%
8CHI18-1514.771177032.4%76%
9NYG27-221.511505.3%48%
10PIT27-287.14831025%77%
11PHI18-2618.76747121.9%80%
12DAL26-3415.86838123.5%76%
13TEN42-1912.53635120%66%
15NO20-194.5222506.5%23%
16PHI36-332.2121205.6%71%
17ATL30-2425.26772220%66%
18DAL23-1915.45544116.7%91%

Production

Receptions66
Targets91
Receiving yards654
Touchdowns7
Points per game10.44
Yards per target7.19
Catch rate72.53%

Role

Snap share66.88%
Target share17.88%
Air-yards share17.68%
WOPR0.391
RACR1.119

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.4
Yards after catch per reception2.8
Yards before catch per reception7.1
Total YAC187
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted109
Receiving EPA per game1.82

Scoring position

Red-zone targets25
Red-zone target share27.8%
End-zone target share29.7%
Expected receiving TDs7.81
Actual receiving TDs8
Receiving TD luck0.19

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game8 of 13
Yards per target7 of 13
Target share9 of 13
Air-yards share6 of 13

Who else ate

The offense threw it 525 times. He took 18.09% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Terry McLaurin23.26%
Zach Ertz 18.09%
Olamide Zaccheaus12.72%
Noah Brown11.13%
Austin Ekeler8.15%
Dyami Brown7.95%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jayden Daniels15819.877.0417.81%
Marcus Mariota21014.78.418.35%

Blowouts against close games

5 of his 17 games were blowouts, 24% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 8.5 in those and 11.24 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2023 · ARI · 7 games

His best game was Week 2 against NYG — 11.6 PPR on 8 targets and a 27.6% target share, in a game that finished 28-31. His worst was Week 3 against DAL at 2.6, on 2 targets, final score 28-16. Across 7 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 3 times.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 10.6 points per game. He scored 7.39, 30.5% below it. The engine classified the season as very_unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1WAS16-208.161021033.3%77%
2NYG28-3111.66856027.6%68%
3DAL28-162.622609.5%59%
4SF16-3511.361053024.4%76%
5CIN20-3492410113.3%75%
6LA9-264.22522013.2%46%
7SEA10-204.93419012.1%53%

Production

Receptions27
Targets43
Receiving yards187
Touchdowns1
Points per game7.39
Yards per target4.35
Catch rate62.79%

Role

Snap share64.86%
Target share19.06%
Air-yards share16.29%
WOPR0.399
RACR0.463

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.7
Yards after catch per reception1.7
Yards before catch per reception5.2
Total YAC46
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted60.9
Receiving EPA per game-2

Scoring position

Red-zone targets8
Red-zone target share13.3%
End-zone target share4.2%
Expected receiving TDs1.57
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck-0.57

Who else ate

The offense threw it 555 times. He took 7.96% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Trey McBride19.63%
Marquise Brown18.7%
Rondale Moore11.48%
Michael Wilson10.74%
Zach Ertz 7.96%
Greg Dortch7.59%

Blowouts against close games

2 of his 7 games were blowouts, 30% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 7.75 in those and 9.85 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2022 · ARI · 10 games

His best game was Week 4 against CAR — 16.7 PPR on 6 targets and a 19.4% target share, in a game that finished 26-16. His worst was Week 10 against LA at 2.2, on 1 targets, final score 27-17. Across 10 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 2 times. In the 5 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 11.3; in the 5 decided by more, 11.9. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 12.1 points per game. He scored 11.56, 4.3% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1KC21-4411.42414111.1%60%
2LV29-2315.581175023.4%84%
3LA12-2010.561045018.2%93%
4CAR26-1616.76647119.4%82%
5PHI17-2010.861048026.3%93%
6SEA9-191471070027.8%96%
7NO42-346.12421013.8%80%
8MIN26-3413.44534111.6%88%
9SEA21-31155840124.2%97%
10LA27-172.2111202.9%13%

Production

Receptions47
Targets69
Receiving yards406
Touchdowns4
Points per game11.56
Yards per target5.88
Catch rate68.12%

Role

Snap share78.6%
Target share17.87%
Air-yards share20.8%
WOPR0.414
RACR0.902

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.9
Yards after catch per reception2.8
Yards before catch per reception5.9
Total YAC130
Broken tackles2
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted96.6
Receiving EPA per game0.84

Scoring position

Red-zone targets15
Red-zone target share22.4%
End-zone target share30%
Expected receiving TDs4.39
Actual receiving TDs4
Receiving TD luck-0.39

Who else ate

The offense threw it 663 times. He took 10.88% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Marquise Brown16.88%
DeAndre Hopkins15.14%
Zach Ertz 10.88%
Greg Dortch10.09%
James Conner9.15%
Rondale Moore8.83%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Kyler Murray96812.65.7919.53%
Colt McCoy112.2122.9%

Blowouts against close games

1 of his 10 games were blowouts, 9.9% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 11.4 in those and 11.26 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2021 · PHI · 17 games

His best game was Week 11 against SEA — 28.8 PPR on 9 targets and a 20.5% target share, in a game that finished 23-13. His worst was Week 2 against SF at 1.6, on 2 targets, final score 11-17. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 5 times. In the 8 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 9.2; in the 9 decided by more, 11.9. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 11.3 points per game. He scored 10.63, 8.2% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 4 against 5.45 expected, a gap of -1.4.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1ATL32-65.4223406.3%58%
2SF11-171.612608.3%64%
3DAL21-4115.34753118.4%52%
4KC30-42126860018.2%50%
5CAR21-181.7167017.6%60%
6TB22-2812.94629125%88%
7HOU31-5163566117.9%49%
8GB21-248.24442012.9%73%
9SF31-175.73527019.2%80%
10CAR10-348.64646020.7%82%
11SEA23-1328.88988220.5%76%
13CHI33-2221210013.3%77%
14LA23-309.25742014.3%83%
15DET12-3013.461174022.9%89%
16IND16-2213.481354033.3%97%
17DAL25-2211.17941024.3%91%
18SEA30-3815.471084025.6%92%

Production

Receptions74
Targets112
Receiving yards763
Carries1
Rushing yards4
Touchdowns5
Points per game10.63
Yards per target6.81
Catch rate66.07%
Yards per carry4

Role

Snap share74.18%
Target share18.75%
Air-yards share19.69%
WOPR0.419
RACR1.446

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.6
Yards after catch per reception4.6
Yards before catch per reception5.7
Total YAC340
Broken tackles2
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted85.5
Receiving EPA per game0.55
Rushing EPA per game0.03

Scoring position

Red-zone targets20
Red-zone target share23.5%
End-zone target share18.4%
Red-zone carry share1.1%
Goal-line carry share3.3%
Expected receiving TDs5.45
Actual receiving TDs4
Receiving TD luck-1.45
Expected rushing TDs0.43

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game8 of 15
Yards per target12 of 15
Target share7 of 15
Air-yards share9 of 15

Who else ate

The offense threw it 494 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

DeVonta Smith22.32%
Dallas Goedert16.31%
Quez Watkins13.3%
Jalen Reagor12.23%
Kenneth Gainwell10.73%
Miles Sanders7.3%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 3 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jalen Hurts149311.016.7418.96%
Gardner Minshew2128.77.8319.45%
unknown179.2614.3%

Blowouts against close games

5 of his 17 games were blowouts, 32.5% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 11.74 in those and 9.19 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2020 · PHI · 11 games

His best game was Week 3 against CIN — 14 PPR on 10 targets and a 22.7% target share, in a game that finished 23-23. His worst was Week 5 against PIT at 1.6, on 6 targets, final score 29-38. Across 11 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 7 times. In the 6 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 7.4; in the 5 decided by more, 6.6. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 11.6 points per game. He scored 7.05, 39.1% below it. The engine classified the season as very_unlucky. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 1 against 2.43 expected, a gap of -1.4.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1WAS17-2710.83718116.7%85%
2LA19-379.25742017.1%94%
3CIN23-231471070022.7%92%
4SF25-206.9459019.2%95%
5PIT29-381.6166016.7%95%
6BAL28-307.341033025.6%67%
13GB16-305.12431016%44%
14NO24-212.8238011.5%72%
15ARI26-338.92769017.5%75%
16DAL17-376.33733020.6%85%
17WAS14-204.63616020.7%90%

Production

Receptions36
Targets72
Receiving yards335
Touchdowns1
Points per game7.05
Yards per target4.65
Catch rate50%

Role

Snap share81.27%
Target share18.57%
Air-yards share13.96%
WOPR0.376
RACR0.7

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.4
Yards after catch per reception2.4
Yards before catch per reception6.9
Total YAC88
Broken tackles0
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted50.4
Receiving EPA per game-1.66
Rushing EPA per game-0.09

Scoring position

Red-zone targets7
Red-zone target share11.9%
End-zone target share6.9%
Expected receiving TDs2.43
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck-1.43

Who else ate

The offense threw it 598 times. He took 12.86% of the targets. 0 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Greg Ward14.11%
Zach Ertz 12.86%
Travis Fulgham11.96%
Dallas Goedert11.61%
Jalen Reagor9.64%
Miles Sanders9.29%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Carson Wentz7497.844.2719.14%
Jalen Hurts4235.655.4817.57%

Blowouts against close games

2 of his 11 games were blowouts, 20% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 7.75 in those and 7.42 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

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