While there are several fantasy football-relevant names in this divisional game, there are three must-start players between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8. If you roster any of these three players in fantasy football, throw them in the lineup and watch them win you the week. This piece looks at rankings within the Points Per Reception (PPR) format.

Olave is a must-start in this Week 8 NFC South battle. He is the WR11 in PPR format, ranks No. 2 in the NFL in targets, and is coming off his best game of the year in which he recorded 98 yards and two touchdowns.

Going beyond the box score, this is an intriguing matchup for Chris Olave. In four of seven games this year, the Buccaneers’ secondary has utilized a single-high safety look on more than half of their defensive snaps. Olave is the Saints’ go-to guy against single high coverage, receiving a 35% target share, which is seven percent higher than his typical rate. 

Todd Bowles and the Tampa defense love to blitz the quarterback; they are No. 4 in the NFL in blitz rate in 2025. Chris Olave has averaged 1.9 yards per route run in 2025. On plays in which the opposition blitzes, his yards per route run more than double, to a ridiculous 4.1 yards.

Olave possesses the combination of volume, recent production, and plus matchup to be a fantasy star this week. He is a must-start for nearly all fantasy football managers and should post another huge stat line as we grow closer to the trade deadline.

Assuming positive practice reports regarding Egbuka’s hamstring injury, he is a must-start against New Orleans in Week 8. Despite being a true game-time decision for Week 7, Egbuka logged 12 targets. While it was evident he wasn’t completely healthy in the Monday Night Football matchup, a week’s rest prior to this game should serve him well. 

Mike Evans is out for an extended period of time, and Todd Bowles has confirmed that Chris Godwin Jr. will miss another game. America’s favorite rookie receiver is in line for double digit targets against a Saints’ secondary that has been very inconsistent week-to-week. Kool-Aid McKinstry’s worst performance this season came against another former first-round Ohio State receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 

Rachaad White is a must-start based on volume alone. No Bucky Irving. Half the receiving corps is hurt. White’s snap percentage in the last three games is 80, 77, and 90, respectively. Even with a poor fantasy performance in a Week 7 contest featuring negative game script, White has been the RB11 since Bucky Irving got hurt. 

The Saints allowed the Bears to run for 222 yards last week. The Buccaneers currently sit as 5.5-point favorites, with positive game script a strong likelihood. I project a season-high in scrimmage yards for Rachaad White this week: