Darnell Washington vs Zach Ertz
Who should you start in Week 5? This week's matchups and projections.
Who to start in Week 5
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Darnell Washington by 0.5 projected points (6.5 vs 6.0), close enough that either call is defensible.
Darnell Washington faces IND, the 14th-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week. Zach Ertz faces NYG, the 17th-friendliest matchup a TE can draw this week.
This-week points are each player's projected per-game scoring rate adjusted for the matchup.
The season-long call
The model takes Darnell Washington: a clear but modest edge of 7.9 points of value over replacement (-81.6 vs -89.5).
The draft market hasn't priced this matchup yet, so treat it as a pure model call.
| Darnell WashingtonPIT | Zach ErtzWAS | Edge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 5 opponent | IND | NYG | |
| Projected Week 5 points | 6.5 | 6.0 | Washington +0.5 pts |
| Matchup rank (TE vs defense, of 30) | #14 | #17 | |
| Projected 2026 points (PPR) | 110.4 | 102.5 | Washington +7.9 pts |
| Points per game | 6.5 | 6.0 | |
| Value over replacement (VBD) | -81.6 | -89.5 | Washington +7.9 |
| Overall rank | #172 | #180 | Washington by 8 |
| Position rank | TE30 | TE33 | |
| Market ADP | - | - | |
| Typical round (12-team) | - | - | |
| Bye week | 9 | 7 |
Should I start Darnell Washington or Zach Ertz in Week 5?
This week is a coin flip. The model leans Darnell Washington by 0.5 projected points (6.5 vs 6.0), close enough that either call is defensible.
Should I draft Darnell Washington or Zach Ertz in 2026 fantasy football?
Darnell Washington. He projects 110.4 fantasy points with -81.6 value over replacement, vs 102.5 points and -89.5 for Zach Ertz (TE, PPR).