Cardinals' Zach Ertz Says Surgery on Knee Injury Involved ACL and MCL Repairs
Dec 8, 2022
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 06: Zach Ertz #86 of the Arizona Cardinals lines up during an NFL Football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on November 06, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz revealed Thursday he had surgery to repair both his ACL and MCL, via Darren Urban of the team's official site.
Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Cardinals' Week 10 win over the Los Angeles Rams. ESPN's Adam Schefter initially reported the team believed the ACL was still intact, but he was later placed on injured reserve.
The veteran said he hopes to return in time for Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Ertz had been productive prior to the injury, totaling 47 catches for 406 yards in 10 games. His leads the Cardinals with four receiving touchdowns, and he is only two catches off the team lead shared by DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown.
The three-time Pro Bowler joined Arizona in a midseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles last season and emerged as a go-to option down the stretch with 56 catches for 574 yards and three scores in 11 games.
It earned him a three-year contract extension worth $31.65 million, including $17.5 million in guaranteed money. Even with the injury, Ertz's roster spot is likely safe going into 2023, as the Cardinals would incur a $10 million dead cap hit by releasing him, per Spotrac.
The Cardinals have been unable to keep their top pass-catchers on the field at the same time this season. Hopkins was suspended for the first six games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, while Brown missed five games due to a foot injury. Rondale Moore has also been in and out of the lineup, missing the first three weeks because of a hamstring injury and Week 12 due to a groin injury.
Arizona has scuffled its way to a 4-8 record this season, but the team will hope to get back to full strength in 2023.
Rookie tight end Trey McBride has seen an increase in playing time since Ertz went down, although he has only nine receptions this season.
Cardinals' Zach Ertz Reportedly Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks with Knee Injury
Nov 13, 2022
Arizona Cardinals' Zach Ertz watches during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz is expected to miss multiple weeks after being carted off the field during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter with a knee injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Cardinals TE Zach Ertz, spotted in a brace after Arizona’s win, is expected to miss multiple weeks with the knee injury he suffered today, per source. The team does suspect that his ACL is intact, however. But Ertz will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine full extent of injury.
The 32-year-old veteran is in the midst of his 10th NFL campaign and his first full season with the Cardinals after spending the first nine years and 123 regular-season games of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Entering Sunday's game, Ertz had caught 46 passes for 394 yards and four touchdowns in nine games for the Cardinals this season.
While Ertz began the 2021 season with the Eagles and appeared in six games for Philly, he was traded to Arizona on Oct. 15, 2021, in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick and defensive back Tay Gowan.
He was highly effective for the Cards, recording 56 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games.
Ertz was once among the top tight ends in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl nods in three straight seasons from 2017 to 2019. That run was part of a remarkable streak that saw him finish with at least 800 receiving yards in five straight seasons from 2015 to 2019.
During that five-year period, Ertz averaged 86.2 receptions for 914.4 yards and 5.6 touchdowns per season.
His best year came in 2018, when he set career highs across the board with 116 receptions for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns.
Things fell apart for Ertz on multiple fronts in 2020, resulting in the worst statistical campaign of his career.
Ertz missed five games because of injury and wasn't particularly effective when he played, finishing with 36 receptions for 335 yards and just one touchdown.
The poor quarterback play of Carson Wentz did Ertz no favors last season, and his production didn't get any better when Jalen Hurts took over the starting job.
In addition to Ertz dealing with quarterback issues, he was the subject of trade rumors throughout the season because of his desire to move on.
The trade rumors followed him throughout the offseason, and it eventually came to pass after the Cards lost tight end Maxx Williams for the season with a knee injury.
Ertz's injury is a huge blow to an offense that was already missing quarterback Kyler Murray, who is out with a hamstring injury. Without Ertz, backup quarterback Colt McCoy is likely to primarily focus on distributing the ball to his strong group of wide receivers, including DeAndre Hopkins, Robbie Anderson, A.J. Green and Rondale Moore.
As far as the tight end position goes, look for Trey McBride and Stephen Anderson to take on increased responsibilities.
Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season got off to a productive start on Thursday. Nearly every fantasy-relevant member of the Philadelphia Eagles put up solid-or-better...
Week 8 of the NFL season got underway Thursday night, when the Baltimore Ravens went on the road and took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 27-22 win....
Fantasy Football Week 7: Examining Trade Value for This Year's Top 100 Players
Oct 20, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 16: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs pushes away Kaiir Elam #24 of the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
With playoff baseball in full swing, it's hard not to compare of the quirks that make America's Pastime so unique to the whimsies of fantasy football.
That broken-bat looper that drops between three fielders? Well, that's your classic, "I have Russell Wilson and Austin Ekeler in a Monday night game that goes into overtime and I still lose by 0.4 points." (If that sounds extremely specific...well, it was. And it hurt.)
The opposing pitcher who struggled during the regular season but suddenly is painting the corners and can't be touched? That's the player in your league who has a pretty average team but for whatever reason keeps facing opponents who only manage like 65 points total against them.
Fantasy, in other words, can be cruel. Mysterious. Downright painful or utterly joyous. Sometimes, a perfect trade can take you from the former to the latter. That's where we come in with the weekly trade value chart.
The usual disclaimers: This guide is just that, a tool meant to give you a general idea of how to best value your players. You should always take your league format and rules into consideration. It was made with PPR scoring in mind. Any player not listed below has a trade value of one.
And of course, may the fantasy points be with you!
Trade Value: 15
1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Trade Value: 14
2. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
4. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
Trade Value: 13
7. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
8. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
10. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
11. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
12. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
13. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Trade Value: 12
14. Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
15. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
16. D'Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
17. Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
19. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
20. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
21. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Trade Value: 11
22. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
23. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
24. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
25. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
26. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
27. Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
28. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Trade Value: 10
30. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
31. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
32. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
33. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
34. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
35. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
36. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Trade Value: 9
37. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans
38. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
39. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
40. Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
41. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Trade Value: 8
42. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
43. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
44. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
45. Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
46. Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Trade Value: 7
47. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
48. Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers
49. Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Los Angeles Rams
50. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Trade Value: 6
51. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
52. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
53. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
54. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
55. Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
56. Gabe Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills
57. Allen Lazard, WR, Green Bay Packers
58. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
59. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
60. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Trade Value: 5
61. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
62. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
63. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
64. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
65. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
66. Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions
67. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
68. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
69. Brian Robinson, RB, Washington Commanders
Trade Value: 4
70. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
71. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
72. Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
73. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
74. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
75. Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
76. David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
Trade Value: 3
77. James Robinson, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
78. Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
79. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
80. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
81. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
82. Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears
83. Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
84. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
85. Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders
86. Josh Reynolds, WR, Detroit Lions
87. Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens
88. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
89. D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
Trade Value: 2
90. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
91. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
92. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
93. Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
94. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
95. Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
96. Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets
97. A.J. Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
98. Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots
99. Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets
100. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
If you follow this chart each week, well, god bless you. But also, you've probably noticed that Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews keep climbing higher and higher in trade value.
Let's talk about why.
First off, Kelce is averaging 21.8 fantasy points per week in standard PPR leagues. That is sixth among non-quarterbacks. That, alone, is absurd. Andrews, meanwhile is at 19.1 points per week, ranking 10th among non-quarterbacks.
Again, absurd.
But it's even more impressive when you consider that the third tight end in scoring per week this season is Zach Ertz, at an average of 13.2 points. That means that if you have Kelce, you are gaining 8.6 more points per week than managers with Ertz, a huge fluctuation between the Nos. 1 and 3 players at the position. No other position comes close to that level of variance.
Andrews, meanwhile, is gaining you 5.9 extra points per week over Ertz. That's still an enormous swing.
And then if you compare it to, say, the No. 10 player at the position—that is currently Gerald Everett, at 9.7 points per week—Kelce is gaining teams he's on a whopping 12.1 points compared to those where Everett is starting.
Just think about how incredibly valuable that is. In 10-team leagues, Everett should be the worst player that starts on a weekly basis, and the team that has him is conceding 12.1 points, on average, to the team that has Kelce.
That level of variance between the best player at a position and the worst player who should regularly be started is somewhat expected. Josh Allen (28.8 points) holds an 11.9-point advantage over the No. 10 quarterback in points per week, Tua Tagovailoa (16.9 points).
That's a weird example given given that Tua has been injured, but we're purely comparing averages here. If you bump it down to Derek Carr (16.4 points per week) since he's been playing, the difference goes to 12.4 points.
But Kelce—and to a slightly lesser extent, Andrews—even putting significant ground between himself and the No. 3 player at the position is unique. From Ertz to Everettt, you are only seeing a difference of 3.5 points per week. That's not nothing, but the position really drops off a cliff after Kelce and Andrews.
And that's why each is so high on these rankings. Hopefully this offered you another perspective on how you should approach valuing your own players in trades.
Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season is in the books. More importantly, so is Week 1 of the 2022 fantasy football campaign. No matter if you're celebrating a victory...
Zach Ertz Says Kyler Murray Knows Cardinals' Playbook Better Than Anyone on Team
Jul 26, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 06: Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals looks to pass against the AFC during the second half of the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
To hear tight end Zach Ertz tell it, Arizona Cardinals fans don't have to worry about Kyler Murray's study habits.
Ertz said the quarterback knows the playbook better than anyone else on Arizona's roster and even helped him pick up some of the nuances after he joined the Cardinals during a midseason trade in 2021, per Tyler Drake of 98.7 Arizona Sports.
The topic came up because NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Murray's $230.5 million contract extension with the NFC West team includes an addendum that requires four hours of "independent study" each game week:
Kyler Murray does 4 hours of game studying on his own, anyway. And similar to the team wanting him around for the offseason as the face of the franchise, AZ wanted a commitment in writing while going to a certain place money-wise. Thus, the clause 👇👇👇 https://t.co/2WjSXBCqtv
Rapoport explained this was more about making something that already happens official in writing, although Murray did suggest film study wasn't on the top of his priority list during a 2021 interview.
"I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens," Murray said, per Ben Shpigel of the New York Times. "I'm not one of those guys that's going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don't sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much."
The approach has largely worked for the Oklahoma product considering he has an Offensive Rookie of the Year and two Pro Bowl selections on his resume through three seasons.
Murray completed 69.2 percent of his passes for 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 423 yards and five scores on the ground as a dual-threat playmaker. It was enough to lead the Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 campaign, although he struggled in the 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams that ended his season.
He accounted for zero touchdowns and two interceptions in that game as Arizona's offense failed to establish anything resembling a rhythm.
The quarterback's future with the team became a talking point this offseason, especially when he unfollowed the team and deleted content on Instagram. Yet they came to terms on a new deal that Josh Weinfuss of ESPN noted will pay Murray an annual average salary of $46.1 million, second only to Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers' $50.3 million.
The 24-year-old will be under more scrutiny with this deal, especially as he attempts to find playoff success. Having Ertz, who is a three-time Pro Bowler, as a safety valve for the entire season after he came in during the 2021 campaign will help.
So will mastering the playbook, which he apparently has already done.
Zach Ertz, Cardinals Agree to 3-Year Contract Worth Reported $31.7M Ahead of FA
Mar 13, 2022
Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz (86) runs against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Tight end Zach Ertz agreed to a three-year contract to return to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting the deal is worth $31.65 million.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network previously reported a deal was being finalized.
Ertz was traded to Arizona on Oct. 15 from the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in the second round of the 2013 draft. He recorded 56 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with the Cardinals to finish the 2021 season with 74 catches for 763 yards and five scores.
In his eight-plus seasons in Philadelphia, Ertz established himself as one of the best tight ends in the league. He had five straight seasons with over 70 receptions and 800 receiving yards. He was also a part of the Eagles' victory in Super Bowl LII, catching seven passes for 67 yards and a score.
Ertz set an NFL single-season record for catches by a tight end with 116 in 2018. He recorded his only 1,000-yard season that year with 1,163 yards and tied a career high with eight touchdowns.
Retaining Ertz is a strong move for Arizona. He will provide a safety net for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. The return of Ertz combined with getting star receiver DeAndre Hopkins back at full strength gives Arizona one of the best receiving corps in the league. Hopkins missed seven games in 2021 with a knee injury.
Cardinals Players Defend HC Kliff Kingsbury amid Criticism from Fans and Media
Jan 19, 2022
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury watches play from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Members of the Arizona Cardinals came to Kliff Kingsbury's defense after the team's second-half swoon led to some scrutiny of the head coach.
Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz called Kingsbury "one of the best offensive minds in this league" and said he has a quarterback in Kyler Murray who's "perfect for him and his system."
"I think you've seen the progress the past three years, going from three wins before he got here to five wins, to eight wins to 11 wins," Ertz said, per the Arizona Republic's Dana Scott. "He's so, so smart offensively, and I think he's just continuing to get better, from what I've heard, in terms of leadership and just managing this football team. Each and every year it's improved."
Jordan Hicks also discussed how much Kingsbury helped him when the arrival of first-round draft pick Zaven Collins threw his status as a starter into doubt.
"He's been really good for me through that whole process, so it's been a pleasure working for him and working with him," Hicks said. "He's a great coach. I love being around him, his intensity, his ability to lead. I've had nothing but awesome experiences with him."
Those endorsements might not matter much to fans who watched Arizona fade badly for the second year in a row.
The Cardinals were sitting at 10-2 following a Week 13 victory over the Chicago Bears. They proceeded to lose four of their final five regular-season games and were outclassed in a 34-11 NFC Wild Card Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The offense gained just 183 yards.
To quote Yogi Berra, it was deja vu all over again.
In 2020, an overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks improved Arizona's record to 5-2 and seemed to cement the team as a contender. Instead, the Cardinals finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
The trend extended to Kingsbury's time at Texas Tech. Scott noted the Red Raiders posted a 19-30 record in the second half of his six years at the helm.
Kliff Kingsbury's end to the season as a head coach...
Texas Tech: • '13: lost 5 of 6 • '14: lost 4 of 6 • '15: lost 4 of 6 • '16: lost 6 of 8 • '17: lost 6 of 8 • '18: lost 5 of 5
At a certain point, it's fair to question whether something Kingsbury is doing is leading to this problem. Maybe his uptempo approach is unsustainable over an entire season.
"I'm not sure, I haven't done the research on that exactly."
- Kliff Kingsbury on his history of late season plummets throughout his coaching career.
Considering he was under some pressure entering the 2021 season, qualifying for the playoffs might be enough for Kingsbury to stay on for 2022.
But the four-year contract he signed with Arizona is due to expire after next season. It seems unlikely the 42-year-old will get an extension now, so yet another slide in the final weeks might be enough justification for the Cardinals to let him walk this time next winter.
Zach Ertz Says He Would 'Love' to Sign New Cardinals Contract in Free Agency
Jan 18, 2022
Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz (86) runs against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Zach Ertz will be a free agent this offseason, but he has a clear interest in returning to the Arizona Cardinals.
"I still feel like we have unfinished business as a team," Ertz told reporters Tuesday. "I would love to be a part of it. But that just might be out of my control."
The Cardinals finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, but they were eliminated with a 34-11 first-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Ertz was traded to Arizona in October after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.
After a slow start to the season in six games with Philadelphia, Ertz emerged as a reliable target for Kyler Murray with the Cardinals. He finished with 56 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games after the trade, averaging 52.2 yards per game.
The veteran only averaged 31.1 yards per game with the Eagles prior to the deal.
Ertz was especially valuable down the stretch as Arizona dealt with injuries, catching at least five passes in six of the final seven games of the regular season.
The 31-year-old will hope this leads to a new deal as the Cardinals look to make a deeper run in 2022.
Ertz was one of the top tight ends in football during his prime, earning three straight Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019. He had at least 70 receptions and 800 yards in every season from 2015 to 2019.
An injury-plagued 2020 campaign took him out of the spotlight, but Ertz could be a hot commodity in the free-agent market after a strong second half of 2021.
