Keagan Smith outlines three must-start players with smash potential for NFL DFS lineups in Week 8, including Bo Nix, Derrick Henry and DeVonta Smith.

Yet another NFL Sunday is upon us, meaning it’s time for the latest edition of our weekly must-starts column. Last week saw one of our most successful days of the season with Quinshon Judkins and Rashee Rice both exploding for 26.4 and 23.2 DraftKings fantasy points, the latter performance of which seems even more impressive on a limited snap share and route tree.

We’re over 1/3 of the way through the regular season, so there’s plenty of data to work with — after crunching the numbers, we’ve got another three must-start players. Whether a standout talent to build lineups around or an intriguing value with matchup and salary, these are guys who can smash and win you a contest this week. Let’s jump right in.

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QB Bo Nix, Denver Broncos, $6,000

Quarterback options are slim pickings this week with injuries and bye weeks aplenty. Out of the remaining signal-callers left standing, I quite like Bo Nix as this week’s must-start player under center. The Broncos’ young quarterback has regressed overall this year, yes, but he’s also popped off at times to put some great play on tape. Look no further than last week’s 33-point fourth quarter in Denver’s absurd comeback victory… this guy was making some wild throws and really entered the zone.

Nix averages 20.8 FPPG and has a ceiling in the 30+ range when he truly gets rolling. His passing numbers aren’t spectacular with a 62.5% completion rate, 222.3 yards per game and 11 touchdowns to four picks, but his pass-catching weapons are perfectly fine with Courtland Sutton headlining a group that also includes Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and a handful of other names. He also contributes via the ground with 24.6 rushing yards per game and three scores. The matchup is what we really want in this game though since the Cowboys have both a horrible defense and a high-flying offense to score points and force Denver to air the ball out. Dallas’ defense ranks 29th in EPA/play, 28th in EPA/pass, 32nd in passing yards allowed and 31st in passing TDs given up. Nix and the Broncos’ offense should eat in this game.

RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens, $6,000

Derrick Henry at a salary of $6,000… what a world we’re living in. The NFL’s most bruising running back posted a monster game in Week 1 but went several consecutive weeks with disappointing fantasy finishes. Lamar Jackson’s absence due to a hamstring injury certainly hurts the offense as a whole, as well as the option game that helps make the Ravens’ run game so lethal. While the quarterback remains sidelined this week, there’s reason for optimism and I believe King Henry can reclaim his crown as a high-upside option with value.

In Week 6 against the Rams, the star running back rushed 24 times for 122 yards, literally three yards shy of his three prior contests’ yardage outputs combined. At 5.1 YPC, Henry looked much more like himself despite the loss, and he’s seen the benefit of a bye week since then to recover and prepare to attack a soft schedule over the remainder of the campaign. Tyler Huntley now takes over under center for Baltimore and probably won’t play all that much better than Cooper Rush, but he knows the system and provides a little bit of rushing threat that could create slight benefits for the run game overall. There should still be plenty of volume for Henry, who faces a weak Bears run defense allowing the fifth-most yards, third-highest YPC, and ninth-most fantasy points to running backs.

WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, $5,900

I wrote about DeVonta Smith earlier this week once A.J. Brown was ruled out for Week 8 with a hamstring issue, so for more detailed analysis, click here. With the wideout coming off a career-best game, I’m a smidge concerned Smith may find his way into more lineups than usual this week, but the potential target share and positive matchup are too much fun to pass up. We’re looking at some real boom potential as a smash start.

Smith averages 15.2 FPPG after last week’s explosion, a 36.3-point outing with nine catches for 183 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. While he hasn’t served as the primary option in the Eagles’ passing attack ever since Brown came to town, the 26-year-old remains one of the best wide receivers in the league and an elite man-coverage beater as well as deep threat. The guy won a Heisman, remember? The opposing Giants have allowed the fourth-most passing yards this season overall, as well as the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. With Brown sidelined, Smith steps in line for an increase in target share and should take advantage of this weak secondary to show what he can do as the main man for an offense.