Chris Olave Setting Records as Key Part of Saints Future

The Saints face plenty of questions about their future heading into this offseason. One of them won't be the abilities of Chris Olave and his importance to the franchise.

There haven't been many bright spots for the New Orleans Saints in 2023. One of the few has been the production of WR Chris Olave. The New Orleans offense has been a frustrating, sometimes infuriating, unit this season. However, one positive constant has been the performances from their second-year wideout. 

A first-round choice in the 2022 NFL Draft, the former Ohio State star came into the league with high expectations as the 11th overall pick. So far, he has not failed to live up to most of those expectations. 

Leading Role

Carolina Panthers safety Xavier Woods (25) tries to tackle New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave (12) after a reception. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The 23-year-old Olave has 81 receptions for 1,041 yards and four touchdowns this season. Alvin Kamara is second behind Olave with 73 catches. However, Olave has 40 more catches than the next highest among New Orleans wide receivers and tight ends (Rashid Shaheed has 41 receptions). 

Olave has 401 more receiving yards (Shaheed = 640) than the second highest receiving production for the Saints. His 129 targets lead both Kamara (84) and Shaheed (68) for the most on the team. He has been a huge part of the offensive game plan each week. Defenses know this, yet he has still remained productive. 

Olave has five 100-yard games this season, including three in the last four contests he's played. He has at least 85 yards in three more outings. This despite extra defensive attention because injuries to Shaheed and Michael Thomas that depleted the New Orleans receiving corps. 

Model of Consistency 

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches a pass against the Minnesota Vikings. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The fourth most targeted receiver in the NFC, Olave has been a consistent producer weekly for an inconsistent New Orleans offense. He has at least five catches in 11 of the 14 games he's played this season. As noted above, he has at least 85 yards receiving in eight of his 14 appearances this year.

In 29 games over his two NFL seasons, Olave has at least four receptions 24 times. He's eclipsed 50 yards receiving in 21 of those 29 contests. This was accomplished despite often subpar play from the quarterback position and with one of the most criticized offensive coordinators in the NFL. 

Olave has also been arguably the only viable option for the Saints at wide receiver. Granted, Shaheed developed into an outstanding game-breaking threat over the last half of his rookie year in 2022. Over the first part of last year, however, he saw the field little. In 2022, Michael Thomas was lost for the year after only three games. Jarvis Landry was well past his prime.

This season, Thomas has been out the last five games of this year and Shaheed missed two of those games. Again, Olave was really the only legitimate threat out of the remaining group of wideouts. Since Thomas has been sidelined, Olave has averaged five catches and 96 yards.

Good, Great, or Elite?

New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave (12) runs after a reception past Houston Texans linebacker Blake Cashman (53). Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Olave’s numbers speak for themselves. However, he went through a concerning early season slump. He had only one catch despite six targets in an ugly loss to Tampa Bay. Over a six-game stretch that started with that performance, he averaged only 43.5 receiving yards.

More concerning than just a decline in production, Olave’s effort, body language, and demeanor were openly questioned. And with good reason. There were several plays that he should have made easily with his abilities. Others were throws where he either clearly ran the wrong route or flat-out gave up on a play.

To Olave’s credit, he rebounded from the harsh criticism to be a standout performer. Even while dealing with a concussion an ankle injury, the latter of which forced him to miss a game, Olave has shown toughness and resiliency. He's also put up the numbers of an elite receiver, averaging over seven catches and 95.6 yards over his last five outings. 

Olave is among the league's most consistently productive offensive weapons. To be a great, perhaps even elite, receiver, he'll have to make the plays that separate him from the very good targets. It's where the young wideout has come up a little short in his brief career. 

Chris Olave has flashed the skills of a great NFL wide receiver. Despite a 6-foot and 187-Lb. frame, he doesn't shy away from contact and performs quite well over the middle. He has great speed to beat defenses deep, but is just as dangerous after the catch as a runner in the open field. Above all, his fluid route running makes him next to impossible to defend for even the league's top corners.

Making History 

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches a deep pass against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Olave joined Thomas and Marques Colston as the only players to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie in New Orleans franchise history. This season, he etched his name further into Saints history books.

In 2023, Olave became the fifth player in franchise history to have at least 70 catches in his first two seasons. He joined Colston, Reggie Bush, Thomas, and Alvin Kamara in that honor. With his 1,000-yard campaign, he joined Joe Horn, Colston, and Thomas to have 1,000 yards in their first two years with the Saints. Only Colston, Thomas, and Olave accomplished the feat as rookies. 

Chris Olave, Thomas, Brandin Cooks, Colston, Horn, and Eric Martin are the only players in Saints franchise history to have consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. For Olave, this looks like just the beginning of many records as a cornerstone of the Saints future.