Olave had some of the highest highs as a rookie in 2022 despite inconsistent and unaggressive quarterback play. Nothing was more impressive about Olave's rookie season than his 1,531 air yards (eighth-most). They showed off his ability to create separation on the vertical plane. He also commanded a 25% target share overall. Consistency was an issue for Olave and he finished eight games during his rookie season as a WR3 or worse. However, a lot of that was luck; he scored just five times. Positive touchdown regression seems likely in 2023. Olave is a popular breakout pick in 2023 and you'll have to use a third-round pick to get him.
Olave sustained a concussion in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Falcons and has been ruled out for the rest of the contest, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Olave was on his way to a big day before departing with the concussion, as he racked up seven catches for 114 yards on nine targets. With Michael Thomas (knee) having been placed on injured reserve prior to the contest and Rashid Shaheed (thigh) uncertain to return to the game, the Saints are left with A.T. Perry, Lynn Bowden and Keith Kirkwood as their healthy receivers. Olave will now work to clear the five-step concussion protocol ahead of the Saints' Week 13 game against the Lions on Dec. 3.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Not listed on injury report
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Olave wasn't listed Wednesday on the Saints' first Week 8 injury report.
In the wake of Olave's arrest Monday for reckless operation of a motor vehicle, his standing with the Saints seemingly hasn't changed. Derek Carr told John DeShazier of the team's official site Wednesday that Olave was "great" at practice, and the quarterback is "excited to see what he does these last 10 games." Through the first seven weeks of the season, Olave has two 100-yard outings to his credit and has gathered in 39 of 68 targets for 471 yards and one touchdown. He'll aim to build upon that stat line Sunday against a Colts defense that has given up the 12th-most catches (89) to opposing wide receivers in seven games in 2023.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Chris Olave remains the No. 1 receiver for the Saints, and he's worth starting in all leagues as a top-15 Fantasy option. But Thomas will hopefully take advantage of this matchup against the Colts, who have allowed nine receivers to score at least 13.0 PPR points this season. Thomas just had his best Fantasy game of the season in Week 7 against Jacksonville with 13.2 PPR points because he scored his first touchdown of the year. But he also has four games with at least 11.1 PPR points, and he should stay in that range in this matchup, making him a quality No. 3 PPR receiver for Week 8.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Gets arrested Monday
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Olave was arrested Monday for reckless operation of a motor vehicle, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Olave was reportedly traveling 35 mph over the posted speed limit. He is getting processed and will be released from Kenner City (La.) Jail. The Saints are aware of the situation, but there are no further details at this time.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Peppered with targets in loss
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Olave secured seven of 15 targets for 57 yards in the Saints' 31-24 loss to the Jaguars on Thursday night.
Olave's target tally led the Saints on the night and served as a season high. The second-year wideout has now logged double-digit targets on five occasions in seven games, but some occasional chemistry issues with Derek Carr has prevented Olave from fully capitalizing. The speedster was particularly inefficient with his opportunities Thursday night, but he did manage a second straight seven-catch effort and will face a more palatable matchup in a Week 8 road date against the Colts secondary on Sunday, Oct. 29.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Cleared for Week 7
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Olave (toe) doesn't have a designation for Thursday's game against the Jaguars.
For a second straight week, Olave has had some practice limitations due to a toe issue, but after being listed as a full participant on Wednesday's injury report, he's good to go for game day. He wasn't worse for wear this past Sunday in Houston, logging a season-high 87 percent snap share on his way to seven catches (on 10 targets) for 96 yards and no touchdowns. Olave will look to produce Thursday versus a Jacksonville defense that has allowed the third-most touchdowns (seven) to opposing wide receivers in six contests this season.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Nearly logs 100-yard performance
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Olave compiled seven receptions (on 10 targets) for 96 yards during Sunday's 20-13 loss to Houston.
After totaling just 11 targets over the previous two contests, Olave logged double-digit targets for the fourth time in six games this season. Three other Saints pass catchers logged eight targets, as quarterback Derek Carr was forced to put up a season-high 50 passing attempts. However, Olave was one of just two Saints receivers -- alongside Rashid Shaheed -- to accumulate over 50 receiving yards, who logged two receptions for 85 yards as well as the team's lone touchdown catch. Meanwhile, Olave made up most of his yards in the short and intermediate areas of the field, as all but one of his receptions went for between 10 to 24 yards. Expect Olave and Michael Thomas (eight targets) to continue serving as the clear-cut top two receivers for New Orleans this season.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Gets back to full participation
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Olave (toe) was a full practice participant Thursday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
Olave opened Week 6 prep with a limited session due to a toe injury, but his ability to get back to all activity one day later indicates the issue is a minor one. The second-year pro thus will set his sights on Sunday's matchup with a Texans defense that has allowed the sixth-highest catch rate (70.5 percent) but just one touchdown in five games to opposing wide receivers this season.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Held to one catch in loss
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Olave brought in one of six targets for four yards in the Saints' 26-9 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.
The speedy wideout was held in check in unprecedented fashion, with both his reception and receiving yardage totals qualifying as career lows. Olave's final line could have looked much different had he been able to come up with a couple of deep shots, but it ultimately was a forgettable day for the second-year wideout and the Saints offense as a whole. His first opportunity to bounce back comes in a Week 5 road matchup against the Patriots, but if Derek Carr's shoulder injury continues to limit his deep passing, Olave's fantasy value will inevitably take a hit to some degree.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Goes over 100 yards in loss
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Olave notched eight receptions (on 11 targets) for 104 yards during Sunday's 18-17 loss against the Packers.
Olave was the most dynamic offensive player for either team during Sunday's loss. The second-year wideout hauled in four of his five targets in the first half, though he let a would-be seven-yard touchdown pass slide through his arms near the end of the first half. He also caught all but one of his six targets from quarterback Derek Carr, who was forced out with a right shoulder injury sustained on a sack during the third quarter. The veteran underwent X-rays on his right shoulder and was taken to a local area hospital for further evaluation. In his stead, backup quarterback Jameis Winston struggled to spur the Saints' offense during the second half, but he still completed two of three targets to Olave for 32 yards on the team's final offensive series. Olave finished with two more receptions than Michael Thomas, with the duo targeted on 20 of the 34 total passing attempts put up by Carr and Winston. Olave should remain the primary receiver for New Orleans moving forward, though his production could take a hit if Carr misses time.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Eight catches to start new season
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Olave recorded eight receptions on 10 targets for 112 yards in Sunday's 16-15 win over the Titans.
Even with both Rashid Shaheed and Michael Thomas playing a significant role in the offense, Olave turned in a strong start to his sophomore season. His performance was highlighted by a 45-yard catch and run early in the second half when he found a soft spot in the middle of the Titans' secondary on a crossing route. He supplemented that with additional receptions in intermediate areas of the field, helping him top 100 receiving yards -- a feat he accomplished three times as a rookie. Olave should remain a focus of the offense heading into a Week 2 matchup against the Panthers.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Building chemistry with new QB
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Olave and quarterback Derek Carr connected well at Wednesday's practice, Ross Jackson of SI.com reports.
Carr is surely pleased to have all his top receivers healthy, after he spent part of the offseason program throwing to backups while Olave (Achilles), Michael Thomas (foot) and Rashid Shaheed (groin) dealt with various medical issues. Olave's Achilles soreness was never reported to be serious, and the 2022 first-round pick should quickly emerge as Carr's favorite option downfield on the heels of a 1,000-yard rookie season.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Sits out practice Thursday
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Olave (Achilles) didn't practice Thursday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, coach Dennis Allen suggested that Olave's injury is nothing to worry about, while indicating the wideout is dealing with some minor Achilles inflammation. With that in mind, we'd expect that Olave -- who was spotted Thursday with tape on his right ankle -- should be past the issue by the time training camp rolls around.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Top wideout in Week 18 loss
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Olave had five receptions (on 12 targets) for 60 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 10-7 defeat to the Panthers.
Olave reclaimed his role as New Orleans' top wideout after dealing with a hamstring injury over the previous two weeks, accounting for just under half of New Orleans' 25 total targets Week 18. The rookie receiver got started early with two receptions for 32 yards on the opening drive, including a 25-yard receiving touchdown. However, he did cough up a crucial fumble at the Carolina 24-yard line during the second quarter. This still marked the 6-foot-1 receiver's first game with double-digit targets since Week 7. Olave finishes the 2022 regular season with 72 receptions (on 119 targets) for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns. He also did a very effective job while stepping up with previous No. 1 wideout Michael Thomas (toe) sidelined for all but three games this season, as Olave now has the second-most receiving yards of any rookie receiver in Saints history. Expect Olave to enter the 2023 campaign as one the likely frontrunners for the team's top receiver role.
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Saints' Chris Olave: WRs to Start
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I like the setup for Olave and Rashid Shaheed this week, and both are worth starting in three-receiver leagues, with a slight nod to Olave as the better Fantasy option. Olave hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 11 and missed Week 16 with a hamstring injury, but I hope he's fully healthy this week. And Shaheed is hot right now, having scored at least 13 PPR points in two of his past three games. But the reason to like both of these guys is the matchup with the Panthers, who have been awful against receivers of late and don't have starting corners Donte Jackson (Achilles) and Jaycee Horn (wrist). In Carolina's past six games, 10 receivers have scored at least 13 PPR points against this defense. This could be a big game for Olave and Shaheed in Week 18.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Status in question for Sunday
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Olave (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest at Philadelphia, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
One week removed from not practicing before the Saints ruled him out for Week 16 action at Cleveland, Olave was able to muster three limited sessions this Wednesday through Friday as he continues to work through a hamstring issue. With a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday, his status will become known before the early slate of games. If New Orleans includes Olave on its inactive list, the team will rely on Rashid Shaheed, Tre'Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway and Kirk Merritt at wide receiver.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Officially limited Wednesday
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Olave (hamstring) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday.
Prior to being inactive this past Saturday in Cleveland due to a hamstring issue, Olave was held out of all drills throughout last week, so his return to the field in any capacity Wednesday is a step in the right direction as the Saints prepare for Sunday's game at Philadelphia. He'll aim to increase his activity level in the coming days, with Friday's practice report indicating whether or not he enters the weekend with a designation.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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There's little reason to fear the matchup, but there's a lot to worry about with the wind. If the forecast is accurate, no one will be able to control how the football moves once it gets in the air and/or thrown downfield. That all but eliminates Olave as a deep threat. He would then have to rack up modest PPR numbers on volume, and he doesn't often get the chance to do that. The big-play threat who hasn't made many big plays lately should be benched for the likes of Darius Slayton, Jahan Dotson and Brandon Aiyuk.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Sidelined for Week 16
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Olave (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Browns, Terrin Waack of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
New Orleans will have to get by without two of its starting receivers in Week 16, as neither Olave nor Jarvis Landry (ankle) will be available after both weren't able to practice Friday in any fashion. With the star rookie sidelined and the veteran slot man sitting out, the Saints are left with Rashid Shaheed, Tre'Quan Smith and Marquez Callaway as their likely starting receiver trio.
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Saints' Chris Olave: Not seen at practice Wednesday
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Olave (hamstring) wasn't spotted at Wednesday's practice, Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Olave may be trending toward a second consecutive absence from on-field work as he deals with a hamstring issue, which would give him just one more chance to mix into drills during Week 16 prep. Wednesday's injury report will reveal whether or not he's listed as a non-participant or limited participant in practice.
