Fantasy Football: Chris Olave looks like a risk-reward pick worth betting on this draft season
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
If you've wondered if Saints receiver Chris Olave should be on your draft radar this season, the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast episode with Matt Harmon and Footballguys Alfredo Brown offers some clarity — and a dose of optimism.
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First, let's acknowledge the obvious: Olave, who already has two 1,000-yard receiving seasons on his resume, has never truly benefitted from consistent, high-end quarterback play since entering the league in 2022. Harmon and Brown both agree that his connection with Derek Carr left much to be desired — 'they never really had the best chemistry in the world,' Harmon suggests. The lack of rhythm is a big part of why Olave hasn't been a difference-maker in fantasy.
Yet, buried in uncertainty is a potential gold mine of upside. With new head coach Kellen Moore stepping in, there's buzz around a more creative deployment of Olave — perhaps even increased usage out of the slot.
'What Moore has done for even a guy like DeVonta Smith ... both [he and Olave are] technicians, pro-level route runners in college, " Harmon points out. "They don't need to play in the slot, but they can be weaponized in the slot.'
Brown goes a step further: 'I think that he's got that upside for high-target volume, high efficiency deep downfield and he's just one of those guys. Tyler Shough [the likely new QB] is actually a pretty good deep ball thrower ... that could actually be good for Olave.'
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Slot usage under Moore could mean more layup targets, and with a new offense and a QB unafraid to push downfield, those big Olave games may finally happen more often.
While there's risk — particularly with QB uncertainty and Olave coming off of two scary concussions last season that limited him to eight games — better days could be ahead.
Olave's blend of youth, technical polish and untapped ceiling are tantalizing. If Olave builds rapport with his quarterback and Moore makes him a focal point of the offense, a true breakout could be just around the corner — and that's something worth keeping an eye on this summer ahead of fantasy drafts.
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