Tom Strachan urged drafters to fade Chris Olave at his mid-WR3 price tag. From Weeks 1-6 last year, when both receivers were healthy, Rashid Shaheed posted a 30 % targets-per-route rate and finished WR10, while Olave mustered just a 21 % rate and WR46 production. Strachan doubts Olave can "earn volume no matter what," and he believes that concern is amplified with a rookie quarterback expected to start. Add in Olave’s documented concussion history, and Strachan prefers taking swings elsewhere rather than paying for a name that may never command alpha usage in a bottom-tier offense.

Nick Holz labeled Chris Olave a stay-away despite his youth and talent. Olave’s 2025 outlook is poisoned by what Holz calls "arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league," with Spencer Rattler, 26-year-old rookie Tyler Shough or late-rounder Jake Haener expected to battle for the starting job. Holz doubts new coordinator Clint Kubiak can elevate an offense that already cratered last year. He also flagged major concussion concerns: Olave suffered his fourth documented NFL concussion (fifth since college), forcing him to miss the final nine games of 2024. With an ADP around 76 (6th/7th round) and a DraftKings line of 825.5 yards, Holz prefers cheaper, healthier options and would bet the under on Olave’s yardage.

Matt Harmon said he keeps drafting Chris Olave because the market has fully baked in the quarterback uncertainty. Harmon noted Derek Carr and Olave "never had good chemistry," yet Olave still ranked near the league lead in most efficiency metrics (yards per route run, first–read target rate). The Saints brought in rookie Tyler Shough, and Harmon admitted nobody knows what Shough will be as a pro, but that unknown is already depressing Olave’s ADP into the late third/early fourth round. Harmon views that price as pure upside: if Shough is even league-average or if Carr rebounds, Olave’s 30-plus-percent target share and elite separation skills give him an easy path to WR1 overall weeks in both season-long and best-ball formats.

Whalen is out on Chris Olave at current prices. Multiple concussions plus shaky quarterback play leave him skeptical that the Saints’ offense can feed Olave the down-field looks he needs. Whalen expects Derek Carr’s check-down tendencies to funnel targets toward Alvin Kamara, limiting Olave to volatile WR2 weeks while amplifying risk of another missed-time head injury.

Pat Kerrane loves Olave’s profile—his worst season-long yards per route run is a sterling 2.07 and he has cleared 2.0 in all three NFL campaigns after being the 11th overall pick. The problem is everything around him. New Orleans handed the offense to rookie Tyler Shuck, with Spencer Rattler as the fallback, a duo Kerrane called "bad and worse." Kellen Moore’s first-year head-coaching incentives point to a conservative, possibly Arthur-Smith-style run-heavy script to keep the kid quarterbacks from imploding. Add repeated concussion issues and no veteran pivot (Jameis Winston is gone) and Kerrane can’t justify his typical "bet talent over situation" mantra here. He sits at just 4% Olave exposure in Best Ball Mania despite ranking the player slightly ahead of ADP, routinely choosing TreVeyon Henderson or other upside swings in the same pocket. Actionable takeaway: stay underweight Olave until the Saints provide real quarterback competency or his price slips into the mid-fifth round.

After Jon Warner noted that Chris Olave has never topped 20 half-PPR points on Underdog, Peter Overzet pushed back, calling pick 88 an absurd bargain for a team’s unquestioned WR1. Overzet argued you do not need season-long dominance in the six-team Badge Bros Brawl—just a couple of spike weeks—and the upside is still intact even if the career high has not shown up yet. He added that Olave almost never slips this far in normal rooms, so the discount itself is edge enough to justify the click. Bottom line: Pete is happy to bet on Olave’s wide range of outcomes at a round-15 price tag and let the room overreact to last year’s scoring drought.

Jorge Martin labeled Chris Olave a draft-day steal, pointing to his deflated ESPN price tag (WR38, pick 97.2) despite being the clear No. 1 option in New Orleans. The Saints permitted 238.6 passing yards and 103.9 rushing yards per game—sixth-worst in both categories—and their five-player defensive draft class did not include anyone before Round 3, suggesting another year of high-scoring, catch-up scripts. Martin acknowledged Olave’s concussion history and the current uncertainty at quarterback but argued those risks are already baked into the cost. With a rebuilding defense likely to keep the offense throwing, Olave has an easy path to outperform his ADP and return WR2 value.

Jorge Martin called Chris Olave a glaring value with an ESPN ADP of WR38 (pick 97.2). Olave is the unquestioned No. 1 option in New Orleans—sorry, Rashid Shaheed—and the Saints defense hardly looks capable of keeping games low scoring after allowing 238.6 passing yards and 103.9 rushing yards per game, both sixth-worst in the league. The club spent five draft picks on defense but none before Round 3, signalling a rebuild that should keep Olave in weekly shootouts. Martin acknowledged Olave’s concussion history and the murky quarterback situation yet still sees the third-year wideout outperforming his draft slot thanks to sheer target volume in an offense that will need to throw to keep up.

Mike Wright expressed skepticism that Chris Olave’s new WR26 ADP adequately discounts the growing list of concerns surrounding him. Wright pointed out that Olave’s underlying metrics—yards per route run, target per route rate, and end-zone-target share—all trended downward in 2024, and the receiver is now dealing with lingering injury issues that have already cost him practice reps. With Tyler Shuck stepping into an offense Wright called "bottom third" in line play and overall talent, the path to a true bounce-back feels narrow. He even suggested it is "not impossible" for Rashid Shaheed to outscore Olave if health breaks poorly. Until the market drops Olave another round or two, Wright is inclined to let another manager assume the injury and quarterback risk.

Ron Stewart called Chris Olave the easiest buy-low on the board after the market shoved him from a 2023 WR10 cost to WR37 in the early sixth round. Stewart argued nothing has changed in Olave’s profile except concussion narratives and anti-Saints sentiment. New coordinator Kellen Moore has ranked top-6 in pace and neutral-situation pass rate at every stop, and Mike Clay projects New Orleans 12th in both dropbacks and attempts—light-years ahead of last year’s ground-heavy scheme. The front office dumped resources into the offensive line, giving Moore time to run his vertical spacing concepts even if rookie Tyler Shough starts. Olave’s underlying metrics remain elite: first among the 2022 WR class in yards per route run, tied with Drake London for first in targets per route, and 80-plus percentile reception-perception grades versus man, press and zone. Stewart said Moore’s history of funneling volume to CeeDee Lamb and Keenan Allen points to a 150-target ceiling. If the Saints finish merely league-average in efficiency, Olave can post a top-12 fantasy season at a steep discount, making him a priority in both season-long and best-ball builds.

Pat Kerrane is lukewarm on Chris Olave at his usual early-6th ADP. He noted Olave will be tied to rookie QB Tyler Shough, whom few expect to elevate the offense. Kerrane doubts New Orleans will throw enough in a run-centric scheme to unlock a top-5 ceiling and pointed out Olave has never topped 20 half-PPR points in a single game. Add in multiple past concussions and the downside compounds. Kerrane will gladly click Olave when he falls to the 6/7 turn as his WR3, but otherwise he is passing in favor of receivers attached to better offenses or higher-upside quarterback situations.

Rich Rebar reiterated that Chris Olave is a must-have in DraftKings’ full-PPR Best Ball rooms because the volume floor is elite even if touchdowns remain scarce. Rebar expects new OC Kellen Moore to unlock more slot snaps—Olave played a career-low 21% inside last year under two-WR devotee Clint Kubiak—citing Moore’s history of moving his WR1 around the formation. When Olave has been in the slot he has shredded: 2.2 yards per route and a 28% target rate. Rebar forecasted a ‘big first-read’ role that produces multiple 14-target games similar to last season’s 8-catch, 107-yard outburst with Spencer Rattler under center. He conceded Olave’s 55-60% catch rate and modest TD projection curb upside in half-PPR or TD-heavy formats, but in full-PPR contests the steady double-digit target counts turn him into a “glue player” who stitches together weekly scoring while leaving room for spike weeks. Being drafted after the tier of WRs who rely on touchdowns, Rebar views Olave’s current ADP as a glaring market miss in volume-driven formats.

Rich Rebar doubled down on Chris Olave as his favorite mid-round "best baller" and said the fifth-round price is stealing. Olave has cleared 2.0 yards per route in both NFL seasons despite bottom-five quarterback efficiency and only a 21-percent slot rate under Clint Kubiak. Rebar expects new OC Kellen Moore to unlock him by moving him all over the formation—the same way Moore juiced CeeDee Lamb’s first-read share in Dallas—projecting a jump to at least 30-percent slot snaps. When Olave has worked inside he’s been lethal: 2.2 YPRR and a 28-percent target rate. Rebar dismissed quarterback concerns, calling Tyler Shough “an acceptable Derek Carr proxy at worst,” and noted that Olave now goes 30 picks after Garrett Wilson even though the usage and efficiency gaps favor Olave. He is hammering the discount anywhere after pick 50.

Raymond Summerlin called Chris Olave a sneaky value in full-PPR best-ball rooms, emphasizing that he routinely falls to the 6-7 turn despite owning true alpha-receiver usage. Olave commanded a 27% target share, ran a route on 96% of dropbacks, and finished top-five in air-yard market share (41%) last season, yet is priced behind less secure volume bets like Zay Flowers and Calvin Ridley. Summerlin likes taking him at 6.02 because wide receiver dries up quickly after that point—especially in heavy-WR rooms—and Olave gives you a weekly floor paired with spike-week upside in dome games against the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers during best-ball playoffs.

David Kitchen said you "need" Chris Olave on your DraftKings best-ball rosters if you are telling a ceiling story. Kitchen noted that whenever Olave has actually been healthy his peripherals line up with top-15 wideouts: a WR1 target share, elite yards-per-route-run, and consistent separation metrics. Because the Saints project to lose plenty of games, Kitchen expects fourth-quarter catch-up scripts that pile on PPR garbage-time production. His thesis is simple: draft Olave at current ADP, assume he finally puts together a full 17-game season, and bank WR1 numbers without paying first-round cost.

Mattek called Round-6 Chris Olave a smash because every reputable projection (JJ Zacharyson, Mike Clay, Fantasy Life, ETR) has him top-10 to top-15 in raw targets. He dismissed worries about Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler under center, noting that even league-average QB play would let Olave turn that elite volume into weekly WR1 ceilings.

Rubio insisted Chris Olave is the single best upside swing once drafts move past pick 60. He reminded JSU that Olave cleared 1,100 yards in back-to-back seasons despite Derek Carr ranking outside the top-20 in EPA per drop-back and missing three games himself with lingering shoulder and rib issues. Olave’s 26 % target share and 36 % deep-target share both finished top-ten among wideouts, and he still posted six games of 20+ DraftKings points even while fighting through two late-season concussion scares. Rubio thinks the betting market is sleeping on him—DraftKings hung just an 825-yard receiving prop, barely above Jauan Jennings’ 850 number—because everyone is spooked by last year’s health headlines. With no premium target competition added and Klint Kubiak installing a faster, play-action heavy scheme, Rubio expects Olave to push 140+ targets and deliver multiple 30-point spike weeks that advance best-ball teams through playoff pods.

Greg Brainos called Chris Olave a screaming value in the sixth round and expects a bounce-back WR1 season. The only 2023 absence was concussion-related—he has missed just one game for lower-body issues in his career—so Brainos is not worried about durability. He praised Olave’s "contortionist" ball skills, elite body control, and production with a revolving door of quarterbacks (Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Derek Carr). Brainos actually likes the aggressive mindset of 26-year-old rookie Tyler Shuck, believing Shuck’s willingness to attack deep meshes perfectly with Olave’s 15-plus-yard average depth of target. With a career 26% target rate per route and soft Saints depth behind him, Brainos thinks double-digit touchdowns are firmly in play.

When Olave slipped a handful of spots past ADP into the early 70s, Joey B snapped him up, saying the Saints’ alpha offers more weekly ceiling than Jacoby Myers or Rashi Rice at similar prices. With CeeDee Lamb already rostered, he wanted another high-end wideout to offset later RB and TE picks, noting that San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk injury bumping Rice’s cost feels overblown for a best-ball regular season that runs Weeks 1–14.

Jason Moore said Chris Olave still profiles as a bankable PPR stud even if the Saints quarterback situation never improves. Moore painted a scenario where Olave commands a "high-20s, around 28 percent" target share simply because he is the only true alpha in the room. Even assuming the offense stalls and Olave finds the end-zone only four times, Moore expects 80-plus, and possibly 90-plus, receptions—enough to cover his draft cost. Moore framed Olave as the classic volume-over-touchdowns play: managers are buying a weekly catch floor that insulates them from bad quarterback play and gives upside if the touchdown luck swings his way.

Peter Overzet urged drafters to scoop Chris Olave at his depressed mid-fourth ADP, calling the market’s obsession with Olave’s concussion history an overreaction. Overzet acknowledged repeat-concussion risk but put the chance of a season-ending head injury closer to 25–30%—far lower than the implied probability baked into current prices. He reminded listeners Olave still posted a 24% target share and 2.21 yards per route run last season despite missing time and dealing with Derek Carr’s downfield allergy. Overzet also noted that new OC Klint Kubiak has historically pushed a higher play-action rate that should juice Olave’s YAC opportunities. His advice: take 10–15% exposure, enjoy the WR1 upside, and let others fade on medical guesswork.

Pat Fitzmaurice recommended that contending teams built around veterans—he cited a roster with Derrick Henry, Mike Evans and Saquon Barkley—should gamble on Chris Olave. Fitzmaurice acknowledged the "scary" concussion history but argued the payoff is manageable because those lineups really just need Olave to survive the final six to eight games. If he stays upright, his elite separation skills and 2.42 yards per route run could single-handedly swing playoff matchups. Conversely, Fitzmaurice said true juggernauts (e.g., teams with Ja'Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson) should pass because they gain little from the added variance. The upshot: aging contenders can buy Olave at a discount and let his ceiling carry them through one more championship push.

Rich Cooling encouraged managers who are a step below the league favorites to trade for Chris Olave despite his concussion red flags. Cooling emphasized that Olave’s value has been "depleted" even though his range of outcomes still includes a top-five wide receiver season—he already owns a 28% target share and showed week-winning spike weeks in 2023. Because elite teams don’t need to gamble, Cooling said lesser contenders must lean into variance, and landing Olave at a WR2 price is the type of risk that can flip playoff odds without surrendering multiple first-round picks.

Justin Herzig called Chris Olave one of the biggest bargains on the board, regularly sliding into the 60s despite a second-round pedigree last year. He emphasized that new play-caller Kellen Moore has already said publicly he wants Olave featured all over the formation, and Moore’s track record in Dallas suggests he will actually do it (CeeDee Lamb averaged a 29% target share under Moore). Herzig also circled the Saints’ six games against the NFC South’s suspect secondaries as a built-in schedule boost. While the wideout’s concussion history scares some drafters, Herzig treats those as random rather than chronic, noting Olave has never dealt with lower-body issues that sap explosiveness. Given his proven separation skills (top-10 in Reception Perception success rate) and a likely uptick in passing volume, Herzig is happy to bet Olave returns WR2 numbers at a WR3 price and still owns top-10 seasonal upside if everything clicks.

Ian Hartitz called Chris Olave a screaming value at current round-7 ADP, arguing that quarterback worries are already more than baked in. Hartitz cited a recent Coach Speak Index quote from new head coach Kellen Moore—“his ability to move around and line up in a number of positions will be a huge advantage for us”—as evidence Olave will be deployed all over the formation. Hartitz compared the situation to Garrett Wilson, noting Wilson still goes in round 3 with similar QB uncertainty while Olave actually edges him in yards per route run. Olave commanded a 27 % target share when healthy last year and finished top-five in yards per route run on intermediate routes despite two concussions and Derek Carr’s erratic accuracy. Moore has historically ranked top-10 in early-down pass rate, and with no proven WR2 in New Orleans, Hartitz projected 155-plus targets and a top-12 finish, making Olave a priority buy in Best Ball Mania drafts.

Sean Koerner urged caution on Chris Olave after noting two major red flags. First, credible beat‐writers have repeated that Kellen Moore is open to moving Olave for draft capital, creating either a mid-summer holdout or an unfamiliar playbook if he’s dealt. Second, Olave has already suffered three documented concussions; Koerner worries a fourth could trigger an IR stint under the league’s stricter 2024 protocols. The upside is obvious—Moore historically force-feeds his No. 1 wideout from the slot (Keenan Allen and DeVonta Smith both logged 30-plus percent slot rates and 27-plus percent target shares under Moore). But with a rookie quarterback (Tyler Shuck) likely starting and Olave’s availability shaky, Koerner dropped him to the bottom of his WR2 tier and advised diversifying with steadier options in Rounds 3-4 of best-ball or redraft leagues.

Pete Overzet called Chris Olave a smash at pick 66, stressing that drafters happily paid a second-round tax on the same player the last two summers. Olave still managed a 27 percent target share and 2.23 yards per route while surviving Derek Carr’s uneven debut season, proving he can create fantasy production "in spite of" the quarterback. Overzet said the only real risk is the Saints offense completely collapsing, but even a league-average unit would unlock weekly WR1 spike-weeks. He is comfortable selecting Olave ahead of names like Matthew Golden, Chris Godwin and Debo Samuel, framing the current sixth-round price as "catch-up fuel" for best-ball rooms where you start RB-heavy.

Pat Kerrane pushed back on the Olave fear, calling him a screaming buy in both best ball and dynasty. Kerrane pointed to Olave’s career-long underlying juice—top-15 in targets per route run and yards per route run since entering the league—plus the luxury of playing half his games in a dome. He believes a pocket passer like Shuck (or even Rattler if things go south) will still funnel volume to the star wide-out, and emphasized that elite peripherals plus a controlled environment usually translate to spike weeks regardless of who is under center. With market sentiment cooling, Kerrane is actively offering late-first-round rookie picks or WR3 types to secure Olave shares before the price rebounds.

Davis Mattek dropped Chris Olave all the way to 75th overall in his dynasty ranks and said managers should treat the wide-out as a sell or at least a stay-away at current prices. Mattek sees three red flags: (1) quarterback chaos—he expects 40th-overall rookie Tyler Shuck to start in 2025 with Spencer Rattler waiting in the wings, leaving Olave’s 2026 passer totally up in the air; (2) five documented concussions since 2020, a "black-marble" tail-risk that could send his dynasty stock to zero with one more head injury; and (3) Mattek never thought Olave was an alpha to begin with, so he is more willing to nuke the profile now that the situation has deteriorated. Given those factors, Mattek would trade Olave for any top-15 rookie pick or pivot to safer wide receivers in the same tier.