Chris Olave Fantasy
At the wide receiver position, Saints wide receiver Chirs Olave is another player fantasy managers should be excited about drafting this season. Olave wowed us during his rookie season while unexpectedly ending up as the WR1 after long-time Saints receiver Micheal Thomas went down after just three games but had to play well with Andy Dalton throwing him the ball. Olave was one of the better rookie wide receivers out of the 2022 NFL Draft and with the addition of Derek Carr this offseason, Olave could be in for a great sophomore season with the Saints. Olave finished as a top 25 wide receiver for fantasy last season and could be in “breakout” territory as he enters the 2023 season, and rightfully so. Olave heading into the 2023 fantasy season, is one of the most sought-after second-year receivers this season in an offense that will be looking to pass the ball and pass the ball deep with Carr now under center is yet another reason why fantasy managers will be looking to invest in adding to their teams this year.
Recommended Reads
- Second-Year Fantasy Breakout Candidates
- 5 Breakout WR Candidates in 2023
- Could Derek Carr and the Saints be a Perfect Combo?
Current ADP
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ADP – 23
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WR ADP – #WR12
Chris Olave’s ADP seems to coincide with the expectations being placed on him this fantasy season. Olave is being drafted as the 12th receiver off draft boards. This puts him in near-elite-level company with receivers like Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Tee Higgins, players who are considered to have WR1 upside. I can understand if you believe that a second-year receiver with this kind of ADP is a bit too rich after last season. Olave cracked over 1k in receiving yards (1,042) and caught four touchdowns in 2022. The one thing that Olave was able to showcase the previous season was his profound big-play ability. Olave finished eighth among wide receivers in Total Air Yards with 1,670 yards and fifth in Air Yards Per Game with 111.33. Olave was also tied for ninth in Yards Per Route Run at 2.56 with Lions wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown and had just five drops all last season. Defenders recognize Olave’s route-running ability and respect his speed as well. During the 2022 season, Olave averaged 5.47 yards of separation from his defender. With Michael Thomas having durability issues over the last couple of seasons, it’s no wonder Olave is being drafted so high despite Thomas heading into the season fully healthy. Fantasy managers believe in Chris Olave and what he can do on the field.
Draft Chris Olave in Fantasy this year
— Alex Caruso (@AlexCaruso) August 21, 2023
Fantasy Insight
Are you still wondering why Chris Olave is still being taken so high? Let’s start with the new Saints quarterback Derek Carr. Carr is part of the reason, at least to me, why Olave is getting so much love outside of his talent. Carr may not be a fantasy juggernaut at the quarterback position but there is one thing that he excelled at last season in his final season with the Raiders. That was his deep ball. During the 2022 season, Carr was one of the better deep-ball throwers among NFL quarterbacks. Carr ranked fifth in pass attempts over 20 yards in 2022 with a 31.9% clip. While the percentage may not jump off the page, the fact that Carr was more than willing to chuck it deep as opposed to 39 attempts and a 28.2% completion rate bodes well for Chris Olave to make more plays downfield this year. Carr was also a top-10 quarterback in Air Yards with 2,059. Olave has the route-running ability and can make plays downfield but the one thing fantasy managers should hope improves is his ability to score in the Red Zone. Olave saw 11 targets in the Red Zone with seven receptions but only came away with two touchdowns. That is the one area in which fantasy managers should be hoping for improvement this coming season.
Dynasty Value
I’ll say this right now. Chris Olave isn’t going to come cheap. After what Olave was able to show during the 2022 season, Olave’s stock has risen. Adding Derek Carr to the mix is another boost. Olave finished as a top-25 wide receiver last season and averaged 13.2 PPG. Olave also caught 60.5% of his passes last season on 119 targets. With Michael Thomas not getting any younger and Jarvis Landry no longer with the team, Olave looks to be the future wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints moving forward, especially since the team invested a first-round pick on him during the 2022 NFL Draft. For dynasty formats, I’m keeping Chris Olave on my teams. Of course, there’s always the “if I get a good deal across my desk” kind of offers, but giving up on a young cornerstone player like Olave isn’t the normal move. Olave is worth the investment and trading him for picks may not seem as lucrative. You know what Olave can do, why give up on it now?
Bold Prediction
Chris Olave is capable of playing at an even higher level than he did during his rookie season. Olave was expected to be the WR3 behind Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry last season, so Olave had to step in and shine. Going over 1,000 yards in his rookie season was a great start. Now with a quarterback who’s willing to get the ball downfield more often and Olave now the number two receiving option behind Thomas, Olave has a clear path to take another step forward this season. With more targets per game coming out of the quarterback position, Olave should see a boost in target share, and should Thomas not make it through another season, Olave could see even more looks. For this season, I can see Olave jumping 1,300 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
Chris Olave and the WRs at work
(🎥: @BootKreweMedia) pic.twitter.com/v9QVr75hC8
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) August 23, 2023
