Getting that stud top wide receiver on your fantasy football team is always a good feeling, even with how deep the position is. Having a guy that you know is a candidate for double-digit targets each week is too good of a chance to pass on.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave and Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams fit into that category. Adams is going as WR10, and Olave is going as WR12, so they’re both in that first-option range.
Let’s determine who to draft and inspect each player’s value.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Chris Olave
After simply looking at the depth chart, Olave should be in for a big-time season.
The Saints starting three receivers include Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry. They also have running back Alvin Kamara. (As for the tight ends, well, I’m not too worried after Juwan Johnson factoring in much.)
Shaheed has spent this offseason dealing with some injuries, and while he’ll suit up for Week 1, his style of play is boom or bust. Kamara should easily see 100 targets or more, too, but Carr is certainly not one to hold back on the attempts.
Carr’s had no less than 500 in any season of his career, and in his first season with the Saints, he had 548.
According to TruMedia, Olave caught 87 passes on 138 targets for 1,123 yards and five touchdowns. He also led the NFL in contested catches and averaged 2.20 yards per route run or higher through two years.
With his numbers last year, he finished as WR20, but we’ve had a whole season and now two training camps for him and Carr to get on the same page.
Olave did miss Week 15, so if you add in his average points per game (14.4), he would’ve been WR15. It’s not quite WR1 territory, but it’s close. Remember, he only had five touchdown catches.
Carr is certainly not only to throw many touchdowns. He’s had 25 or less in each of the last three seasons, but with limited weapons, Olave should finish closer to 10.
2024 Fantasy Outlook for Davante Adams
Adams has simply been a target machine over his career.
Last season, Adams saw 175. Since 2020, he’s seen at least 149.
Over the past two seasons with the LRaiders, he’s had passes from Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell thrown his way, and he’s still had 100 catches or more — and caught 22 touchdowns — since joining the team. Adams also had a 36.6% red-zone target share last season.
Now, he gets Gardner Minshew as his quarterback.
KEEP READING: PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Football Rankings
Besides Adams, there’s Jakobi Meyers and rookie tight end Brock Bowers. The running game is without Josh Jacobs, as Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, and Dylan Laube take over. All of these backs have some pass-catching upside, though.
The one downside for Adams is that he’ll turn 32 during the season, but still, it seems as though he’s not slowing down.
Who Should I Draft in 2024?
While I like Olave’s youth and his potential in the Saints’ offense, it’s too hard to pass up Adams. He’s been a model of consistency, and he has what’s believed to be an upgrade as a quarterback with Minshew.
Adams will demand targets in this offense, and if he continues to see a red-zone target share north of 36%, he’ll score plenty of touchdowns — something I’d like to see Olave do more.
If Adams’ age really scares you away, Olave will be fine, too, but Adams has proven to be productive and received a plethora of targets each season.