7 DraftKings Bargains for Week 1
Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
DraftKings Price: $3,500
DraftKings often has soft pricing at the tight end position, and this week is no exception. Only six players at the position cost more than $4,000 on Sunday's main slate of games. If ever there was a chance to use two tight ends, this is it. A top value option is Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.
Ertz is a bit of a mystery. He has increased his fantasy output in each of his four seasons in the league, but his fantasy production is generally weighted towards the end of the season. This makes him frustrating to use on a week-to-week basis, even if the matchup is ideal. Could this be the year that Ertz puts it all together and become an elite tight end? Hall of Fame writer Ray Didinger thinks so.
Ray Didinger's Inadvertent Fantasy FB Tip No. 2: "Zach Ertz is going to break the Eagles season record for receptions this year."
— Glen Macnow (@RealGlenMacnow) September 3, 2017
Of course, he's said similar things in the past. This time, however, he may be right, and it looks like the fantasy community is a believer. As draft season came to a close, Ertz's average draft position skyrocketed to the third pick of the eighth round in 12-team standard leagues, more than three rounds higher than he was being drafted in early August. While he may not break the Eagles' single-season reception record, it would not be shocking in the least to see him as the most targeted Philly player this season.
In the pivotal Week 3 preseason game, Ertz was clearly Carson Wentz's favorite target, catching 3 passes for 44 yards in only one quarter of action. With the running game up in the air at this point, the Eagles may compensate by focusing heavily on a short passing game. That could mean heavy doses of Sproles and Ertz.
We have Ertz projected for 11.67 DraftKings points in Week 1, a return on value of 3.35 points per $1,000.
