Winners and Losers: The Zach Ertz Trade

The Philadephia Eagles sent longtime star tight end Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals yesterday for cornerback Tay Gowan and a 2022 fifth-round pick. The trade has a decent amount of fantasy football ramifications at the tight end position. For a long time, many fantasy managers longed for the day Zach Ertz would be dealt with for a multitude of reasons. That day has arrived.

Let’s check in with who specifically was affected negatively or positively by the trade made yesterday.

Winners

Dallas Goedert

Talent has never been 26-year-old Dallas Goedert’s issue. Sharing time at tight end with Zach Ertz was. We never got to experience the true ceiling that Goedert has thanks to the pair playing together. That’s all changed now.

Goedert finally gets his chance to showcase what he can do as a full-time player. The Eagles tight end has been running routes only 59% of the time so far this season according to PFF. Goedert should push up to an 80% or better route percentage which is where the elite company at the position resides.

This is what we have all been waiting for. Dallas Goedert has real upside for the rest of the season.

Zach Ertz

30-year-old Zach Ertz isn’t the same player he was a few years ago, but he’s still a reliable piece for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals lost Maxx Williams due to injury resulting in making the deal for Ertz. Before his injury, Maxx Williams was playing well catching the eye of Kyler Murray. Williams in four full weeks played had a TE4 and TE6 overall finish. For as good as Williams was playing, Zach Ertz is better and is a welcomed addition to the revamped Cardinals offense.

Zach Ertz gets to compete for a contender and Kyler Murray gets another weapon. Winners all across the board.

Kyler Murray

Keeping your star quarterback happy is the name of the game in the NFL. Kyler Murray isn’t running as frequently this year so far, adding a steady receiving option like Zach Ertz makes a lot of sense. The move to get Ertz is a good thing for Kyler Murray who is already an elite fantasy quarterback.

Losers

Rondale Moore

We were so close to seeing the much anticipated expanded role for Rondale Moore. The loss of Maxx Williams likely would have contributed to more 11 and 10 personnel packages which only would have benefited Rondale Moore seeing more of the playing field. Moore saw a season-high snap percentage last week which resulted in his second-highest fantasy output of the season.

Moore will have to continue to be Uber efficient when he is on the field for now. His time will come, but we may have to be a little bit more patient, unfortunately.

Other Arizona Tight Ends

Honestly after losing Maxx Williams neither Demetrius Harris nor Darrell Daniels we’re going to be fantasy-relevant. If there was a glimmer of hope for one, that door has now been closed shut.