Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ Hero (9 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

saw flop|saw showdown

SB ($32.85)
Hero ($44.01)
UTG ($37.80)
UTG+1 ($7.50)
MP1 ($9.28)
MP2 ($4.85)
MP3 ($44.39)
CO ($17.05)
Button ($13.04)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8, 5. SB posts a blind of $0.10.
5 folds, CO calls $0.25, 1 fold, SB (poster) completes, Hero checks.

Flop: ($0.75) 2, 4, 8 (3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $0.5, CO calls $0.50, SB folds.

Turn: ($1.75) 3 (2 players)
Hero bets $1, CO raises to $3, Hero calls $2.

River: ($7.75) 5 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $1, Hero calls $1.

Final Pot: $9.75

Results in white below:
Hero has 8c 5d (two pair, eights and fives).
CO has As 8h (straight, five high).
Outcome: CO wins $9.75.

This post is about flop betting.
This happens a lot, where you get trash in the bb and flop TP/NK. At a table full of unknowns (mostly donks of one sort or another) with 3 to the flop, do you lead out with what is probably the best hand, or play it soft to see what developes?