Week 6 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Greg Olsen and 2 Other Must-Start Tight Ends

If you take a look at ESPN leagues, you will see that eight tight ends are being started in more than half of them. While I don't have any particular objections to Jermichael Finley, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, Vernon Davis, Owen Daniels, Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten or Dallas Clark, I can't help but think that there are other tight ends that need to be started.

After all, most leagues are deeper than eight teams. Certainly, if you have those guys, sign them. But if you have one of these three guys and are one of the owners leaving these guys on the bench, it's time to reconsider your strategy.

Greg Olsen

On the one hand, Atlanta's defense has done a good job keeping opposing tight ends in check this year. But they haven't faced a team that's as reliant on their passing game as the Panthers.

Cam Newton has hit Olsen for a touchdown in each of the last three games. Olsen's reception and yardage totals also haven't been bad this season.

Chances are very good that Olsen will have a day around 50 yards receiving with another touchdown. The Carolina offense will certainly move the ball well.

Aaron Hernandez

Don't worry about the fact that Rob Gronkowski is the Patriots' top tight end. When Hernandez and Gronkowski are on the field together, both catch plenty of passes.

Both tight ends managed a touchdown catch in each of the first two games of the year. After Hernandez missed the next two games, he came back with a nice five-catch, 56-yard performance.

Now that he's back in the swing of things, Tom Brady will have no problem going back to him. Hernandez isn't always second fiddle to Gronkowski. Even when he is, his stats are still better than most tight end's.

Jermaine Gresham

Gresham's only had one really bad game this season. With that one exception, he's either had a good yardage total, a touchdown pass or both.

The Colts have also done a good job against opposing tight ends, but I see the Bengals moving it pretty well in this one. If they are in position to score, Gresham is a good target for Andy Dalton.

Realistically, he won't put up the numbers of any of the players listed at the top. But Gresham is a solid option at a position that often gets overlooked in offensive game plans, at least in terms of yardage and reception totals.