Tee Higgins, DeVonta Smith Among 6 Must-Start Wide Receivers in Week 8

This is going to be a brutal week for wide receivers with all the injuries and bye weeks to the wide receivers. Even with so many wide receivers not playing this week, it may be tough to find wideouts to fill out your lineup, but we still have to do it. These are the wide receiver starts for Week 8.

Start Tee Higgins In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

We are far from all the way back in on Higgins, but we love him in the matchup against the New York Jets. While Sauce Gardner may not be the force that he once was, he is still a very good cornerback. He will be locked up on Ja'Marr Chase, and Higgins will likely be covered by Brandon Stephens, who has been atrocious this season. The entire secondary has been pretty bad outside of Gardner.

Start Kayshon Boutte In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

Boutte has been playing very well opposite Stefon Diggs. He has been efficient and caught all 10 targets thrown to him in October, as well as 20 of 25 targets on the season. Over the past two games, he has caught all seven of his targets for 148 yards and three TDs. The former LSU Tiger has been making a ton of big plays and is a strong start this week against the Browns.

Start DeVonta Smith In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

This looks like we're watching a video game route here from Devonta Smith. What a special talent. pic.twitter.com/ILDdrBNw51
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) October 21, 2025

Smith has really picked it up as of late. In two of his last three games, he has reached at least eight receptions, 10 targets, and 100 yards. In Week 7, against the Minnesota Vikings, who going into the game were allowing the fewest fantasy points in the league to wide receivers, Smith caught nine of 11 targets for 183 yards and a touchdown. With Saquon Barkley struggling this season, the Eagles are now throwing the ball a lot more than they were earlier in the season. It also helps that Philadelphia is struggling to win games and isn't beating teams down anymore. We are plugging Smith in this week against the New York Giants, who are allowing the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.

Start Jaylen Waddle In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

Things got really ugly for the Dolphins' passing attack last week, but that shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. There were massive winds and heavy rain in that game. Something that Tua Tagovailoa has never been able to handle. Waddle has been very good since Tyreek Hill got injured and has been solid all season. In the previous two games before last week's disaster, he had caught 12 of 17 targets for 205 yards and a touchdown. The Miami offense will look a lot more stable this week than it did in Cleveland.

Start Xavier Legette In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

Nobody wants to talk about it but Xavier Legette had his best career game against the Jets yesterday

🐆 9 receptions
🐆 92 receiving yards
🐆 1 TD

Expectations for first rounders are always about being a WR1. Legette can be a decent WR2. Just like QJ it will take time pic.twitter.com/cIY3BUYEs1
— Prospect Film Room (@FilmProspect) October 20, 2025

Legette had a big game last week and has caught a TD in two of his last three games. He was the Panthers' top receiver in Week 7, catching nine of 11 targets for 92 yards and a TD. Andy Dalton is expected to get the start for the Panthers in Week 8, and that duo already has a built-in chemistry. We are willing to go back to the well with him this week.

Start George Pickens In Week 8 Fantasy Football Matchups

This is similar to what we said about the Jets earlier. We expect Patrick Surtain II to be locked on CeeDee Lamb in this game. However, unlike the Jets, the rest of the Broncos' pass defense is also very good. Still, we expect more volume for the WR2 against Denver because of the Surtain effect.