Should I Start Chris Olave?

Wednesday, June 10, 4:46 PM

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore said that the team has kept wide receiver Chris Olave (illness) out of team drills this offseason because he's still recovering from the blood clot that kept him out late last season, according to Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Olave missed two games late in the year, but the former 11th overall pick in 2022 out of Ohio State still managed to record a career-high 1,163 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 100 receptions in 16 starts for the Saints in his fourth year in the NFL. The 25-year-old quickly developed chemistry with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough in 2025 in Moore's pass-happy offense, and his arrow will be pointing up again in 2026 as long as his blood-clot issue doesn't linger going into training camp and the start of the 2026 regular season early in September. The Saints have more weapons on offense around Olave in rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson and running back Travis Etienne Jr. out of the backfield, but he should still at least be considered a low-end WR1 in fantasy drafts this year.