Fantasy Football Week 6: Jake Ballard and Under-the-Radar TEs You Must Start

As is always the case, when bye weeks begin in the NFL, options at the tight end position become pretty scarce. There aren't many top-flight tight ends on the bye this weekend, but for teams that are without a surefire starter in that slot, the choices are limited.

Even so, there are always several little-known tight ends who get in on the action in any given week, and that should be no different in Week 6. Here are three under-the-radar tight ends who will put up starter-worthy numbers this weekend.

Visanthe Shiancoe: Minnesota Vikings

Although Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe's production has been very spotty this season, there is reason to believe that he'll have his best game of the season on Sunday night. For one, Shiancoe has a very favorable matchup against the beleaguered Chicago Bears defense.

The Bears have been absolutely lit up by tight ends this season, including Jimmy Graham, Jermichael Finley and Brandon Pettigrew. Shiancoe obviously isn't at the same level of any of those tight ends, but the Bears clearly have an issue when it comes to covering the big guys.

Minnesota was more reliant on running back Adrian Peterson last week than it had been all season, and the Bears will surely stack the box with eight or nine men with great regularity. Because of the fact that safeties will be dropping down, Shiancoe may find some mismatches against linebackers that he can exploit.

Joel Dreessen: Houston Texans

Prior to last week's game against the Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans tight end Joel Dreessen had just three catches on the season. Much of that had to do with the fact that he was second on the depth chart to Owen Daniels, but Dreessen has proven to be a reliable target when Daniels was injured.

Daniels is perfectly healthy at the moment, but cornerstone wide receiver Andre Johnson isn't. Johnson is expected to miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring ailment, and that bodes well for Dreessen. Due to a lack of reliable receivers, quarterback Matt Schaub utilized Dreessen a great deal last week.

While it isn't likely that he will repeat his five-catch, 112-yard performance this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, Dreessen should be a focal point. The Ravens are excellent against the run, but can be beaten a bit through the air. Because of that, the Texans may pass a bit more, and that means plenty of targets for Dreessen. 

Jake Ballard: New York Giants

While his production has been very hit and miss, New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard seems to be becoming a bigger part of the Giants' offense with each passing week. Since consecutive one-catch outings in Weeks 2 and 3, Ballard has two straight games with three catches and a touchdown.

That may not seem like elite production, but Ballard looks to have a nose for the endzone, and quarterback Eli Manning has been looking his way in the red zone. Also, few teams have been worse when it comes to covering tight ends over the past couple years than New York's opponent on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills give up tons of yardage on defense, and much of it has been to opposing tight ends. The game has all the makings of a shootout as well, so Ballard will have opportunities to score, and that alone makes him worthy of a start this week.