Chris Olave and the New Orleans Saints lost 26-13 to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. The star wide receiver finished the game with just two receptions for 10 yards on four targets.
Olave, who is currently listed as the WR1 on the Saints’ depth chart, has not had the best start to his season. Surprisingly, Rashid Shaheed has put up better numbers than him and was much more involved in the game against the Chiefs.
Olave was thrown the ball only once during the first half of the game, and the wide receiver’s brother was not happy with that. “1 target ?” tweeted Josh Olave, the brother of the Saints’ star WR.
Fans React to Chris Olave’s Brother’s Question for Saints
After Olave’s brother questioned the team’s game plan on social media, fans of different teams began recruiting the 24-year-old wideout.
Here’s how the fans reacted to Olave’s brother’s post on X:
Send him to Josh Allen
— SamLocks (@SamuelSp0rts) October 8, 2024
“Daniel Jones will save him,” wrote one fan.
“Stroud gon save him,” said one Texans fan.
We feel bad for Chris as fans he’s most def top 5
— .500 HELL ⚜️ (@wedatt24) October 8, 2024
“Tell him to force his way to Dallas, bro,” wrote one Cowboys fan.
Your brother was always supposed to be a Charger. https://t.co/J8SHRBuFml
— Johnny Baboon (@shirts0) October 8, 2024
“Yeah, that trade request gonna hurt the soul,” said one Saints fan.
The Saints drafted Olave with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Despite subpar quarterback play, the Ohio State product had back-to-back 1,000+ receiving yard seasons to start his career.
In five games this season, Olave has 22 receptions for 275 yards and one touchdown on 28 targets. He is averaging 5.6 targets per game, which is much less than last year’s average of 8.6 targets per game.
Olave will be eligible to sign an extension next season and to get a lucrative contract — elite production will help him move the needle.
Moreover, the Saints have lost three straight games, so the frustration around the team is valid.
Spencer Rattler Could Help in Improving Chris Olave’s Production
Saints quarterback Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury during the loss against the Chiefs and is expected to miss multiple games. Rookie Spencer Rattler has already been given the nod to be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Rattler under center, Olave’s production will likely increase as the rookie has already made it clear that he will rely on his star wide receiver.
“Dude’s different. I make it a key point. When he’s in, get him the ball. It’s that simple.” said Rattler about Olave.
If the Saints want to win games, they need to involve Olave in the game a lot more than they did against the Chiefs. Shaheed’s emergence is positive for the team, but they cannot continue to throw deep balls and pray they get caught.
Olave has demonstrated his ability to make an impact throughout his career, and now that the team has a rookie quarterback, he will be much more important for the team’s success.
The Saints have a couple of tough battles coming up, and the Week 6 game against the Buccaneers is crucial for the supremacy of the NFC South.
Olave has played four games against the Buccaneers in his career and has recorded 13 receptions for 175 yards in those games.
