Fantasy Football: 3 Things We Learned From Week 13

Zac Ertz's Annual Late-Season Arrival is Probably Here

Zach Ertz is perennially listed in offseason articles as a potential breakout performer for the upcoming fantasy season. There's good reason for that, too -- Ertz has developed an annual habit of closing out the season stronger than he began it.

In 2014, he put up an 18-target, 15-catch, 115-yard performance in Week 16 that had fantasy drafters looking toward 2015 as a certain breakout campaign. In 2015, Ertz closed out the final four games averaging 11.5 targets, 8.75 catches, and 112.5 yards per game.

And judging by his Week 13 performance, Ertz could be back to his old tricks after lighting up the Cincinnati Bengals for a 9-catch, 79-yard, 1-touchdown performance on a whopping 15 targets.

Part of the tight end's stellar output on Sunday was borne of necessity.

The Philadelphia Eagles' primary receiver, Jordan Matthews, was inactive due to a sprained ankle. The top four receivers Philadelphia had to work with included a physically talented, but very raw Dorial Green-Beckham, Nelson Agholor, who was a healthy scratch in Week 12, and two undrafted free agents in Bryce Treggs and Paul Turner.

In three of the next four games, the Eagles face the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys, each of whom ranks 23rd or worse against the tight end position, per Football Outsiders. So, Ertz is heating up at just the right time and his schedule makes it more likely he continues stuffing the stat sheet.

If Ertz is out there on your waiver wire or he's still available via trade, go get him without hesitation. If history's any guide, Ertz is in for a big few weeks.