New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave has been having a fantastic season this year for fantasy football. Many fantasy managers banked on the breakout from the second-year WR and are no doubt happy with the WR20 on the year. Olave only has three weeks outside the top 35 and six weeks as WR20 or better.
Is the star WR set to play in Week 15 against the New York Giants? What’s the latest news on his status?
Editor’s Note: Per Nick Underhill, Chris Olave will be out for the Saints Week 15 matchup with the New York Giants.
Is Chris Olave Going To Play Week 15?
It seems to be very much up in the air as to whether Olave will be playing this week as he deals with an ankle injury. Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that due to Olave’s questionable tag, the Saints have elevated wide receiver Marquez Callaway from their practice squad to their active roster.
Schefter then further reported Saturday night that Olave’s status will not be determined until pregame. Early Sunday morning, Ian Rapoport reported that “there is not a lot of optimism that he [Olave] can go.”
Olave has been battling a series of ailments over the past few weeks. First, it was a concussion he received after going up for a jump catch against Atlanta Falcons CB A.J. Terrell in Week 12. That put doubt on his status for the following week.
He ended up playing, but leading up to Week 14 against Carolina, he was dealing with an illness. Now, the talented WR is dealing with an ankle injury and has missed practice this entire week.
Olave is officially listed as questionable heading into Week 15. He did not practice Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday and head coach Dennis Allen spoke to the media following Saints practice on Friday to address Olave’s status.
He said, “He is going to be questionable, and it’s probably going to go right up to game time.” Allen also said that the injury was not a high ankle sprain and that Olave had been doing well in rehab.
Olave apparently hurt his ankle on his TD catch in Week 14 and the Saints will need that kind of upside if he is active as they fight to win the NFC South. Olave is currently the WR12 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings.
Potential Fantasy Options If Chris Olave Is Out Include Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry
With Olave being a true game-time decision, fantasy managers must have a pivot option available. The best alternative would be Olave’s teammate, Rashid Shaheed. Shaheed has shown flashes this season, but his ceiling has been limited with Olave on the field.
If Olave cannot go, Shaheed could see some opportunity. Even with Olave playing, though, Shaheed has been averaging 23% of the WR targets, and he has five red-zone targets on the year.
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QB Derek Carr does have eyes for Shaheed — the speedster has three finishes as WR11 or better in Week 1, Week 6, and Week 8, but he has been sidelined the last two weeks with a thigh issue. He is good to go on Sunday and could be Carr’s first read if Olave cannot play. Beyond Shaheed, the other options include Lynn Bowden Jr. and A.T. Perry, but both are little more than dart throws for fantasy.
Bowden had four targets last week, turning them into 23 receiving yards. Perry only had one target in Week 14, but he caught it for 44 yards. These two guys are only considerations in very deep leagues if Olave is out.
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