During the New Orleans Saints’ Week 9 contest against the Carolina Panthers, wide receiver Chris Olave exited the game with an injury and did not return. What is the latest on Olave’s status, and how long will the Saints’ star wide receiver be sidelined?
What Is Chris Olave’s Injury?
Olave took a shot from Panthers safety Xavier Woods, who was penalized for unnecessary roughness and later fined $16,683.
It was a scary scene — Olave was stretchered off the field, taken to a local hospital, diagnosed with a concussion, and then discharged.
Chris Olave takes a nasty shot. Hope he's ok pic.twitter.com/LjFbFIxzpx
— Saints Film Room (@SaintsFilmRoom) November 3, 2024
This is extremely concerning for Olave since this is his second concussion of the 2024 season and his sixth since his college days.
Olave is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol, and the Saints placed him on injured reserve on Nov. 10.
When Will Olave Return From His Injury?
Olave must miss at least four games, which means the earliest he could return is Week 15 when New Orleans faces the Washington Commanders.
However, it’s possible that the Saints will sit Olave for the remainder of the year, especially considering their season is quickly going down the drain.
New Orleans recently fired head coach Dennis Allen, and the playoffs are a long shot since the Saints are 3-7. PFN’s Playoff Predictor gives them a 3.21% chance of making the playoffs this season.
“We’re trying to figure out what’s the best now for the long term,” Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi told reporters. “There’s a process in which he’s going through. He met with our people and then there’s people outside the building…
“Chris is going to be out right now for the short term, and then we’ll make a decision for the long term. But he is meeting with multiple people and everyone here, our medical staff has been in touch with all of them.”
This lines up with what Rizzi said right after Olave suffered the concussion, telling reporters they are more concerned about “Chris Olave the person [than] Chris Olave the player.”
Similar to what Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently went through after experiencing his fourth concussion in five years, Olave is meeting with concussion specialists to discuss his history of head injuries and his options going forward.
Saints fans and fantasy managers shouldn’t count on Olave playing again this year.
How Will Olave’s Absence Impact the Saints?
This is a huge loss for New Orleans, who is already missing wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (season-ending knee injury), Bub Means (on IR with a sprained ankle), and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (missed two of the last three games with a shoulder injury).
Even after missing time, Olave leads the Saints in receiving yards (400), and he was expected to receive a ton of targets in the second half of the season with Shaheed and Means out.
Now, the Saints will be without their top three wide receivers for the foreseeable future. Means is eligible to return in Week 14 against the New York Giants, but Wilson has a chance to play in Week 11.
The Saints will have to rely on reserves such as Mason Tipton, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Wilson (once he returns), Kevin Austin Jr., and Dante Pettis. In the Saints’ shocking 20-17 upset of the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10, Valdes-Scantling stepped up and recorded three catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
At this point, the Saints might focus on getting Olave healthy for the start of next season and giving their young players as many reps as possible.