Chris Olave injury update: Latest on Saints WR for Week 10 Fantasy Football

Chris Olave has been a rare bright spot for a woeful New Orleans Saints team in the 2024 NFL season. The team began brightly, leading in offensive points scored in the first two games but that proved to be a mirage against two teams that also currently have losing records.

Since then, they have lost seven straight, and their head coach was fired. The Saints are bottom of the NFC South, which is significant because of how poorly the Carolina Panthers have performed this year.

Amidst all of that, Chris Olave has kept having games that rekindled a bit of faith among the New Orleans faithful. Here, we look at whether he is playing this coming week and what his impact has been so far.

Chris Olave's injury update

Chris Olave suffered a concussion in the game against the Panthers last week after a wayward pass from Derek Carr sailed over his outstretched arms and he got smashed by a defender. He hit his head on the turf on the way down, making it a double blow.

This was his second concussion this season, the third over the last year, and his fifth documented concussion. He has entered the protocol, which does not have a time limit but requires independent verification through different stages before he can return to practice.

Given he was stretchered off the field, it looks to be a serious issue. Compounded with the multiple injuries he has faced, it looks unlikely he will be out of concussion protocol anytime soon. He did not practice on Wednesday this week and is reportedly seeking expert advice on how to deal with it.

Interim head coach Darren Rizzi also said that the decision will be made by excluding football considerations, so there Chris Olave will not be rushed back. Based on all these metrics, it looked very unlikely that the wide receiver would play in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons and it was duly confirmed that he is out prior to the game.

How has Chris Olave performed this season?

If he misses the game, as expected, then it will be a huge loss for the Saints. As mentioned before, he has been one of the rare performers who has done well for New Orleans this season.

He has 400 yards in 32 receptions this season over eight games. He is averaging 12.5 yards per catch and has one receiving touchdown. Beginning in Week 2, he had three consecutive games with more than 80 yards against the Cowboys, Eagles, and Falcons.

He found it tough to navigate the Chiefs secondary but that was an aberration. In Week 6, he suffered his first concussion of the season against the Buccaneers, and that ruled him out for Week 7. However, he returned in Week 8 against the Chargers and recorded more than 100 yards in just eight receptions.

Week 9 brought another head injury and he will be a big miss for the Saints in Week 10. He has already performed well against Atlanta in their previous meeting this season. More importantly, his 400 yards represent nearly a third of the 1,225 total passing yards Derek Carr has this season.

With New Orleans already struggling, this is the last thing they need at the moment. But as coach Darren Rizzi said,

"He wants to go thoroughly through the process and make sure he’s making the best decision for Chris Olave, removing football from that equation ... We’re more concerned about Chris Olave the person and making sure everything is okay."

Chris Olave will be given time to recover from the injury. If the experts say that he needs an extended time off, it would not be a surprise to see him on the injured reserve either, as the Miami Dolphins did earlier this year with Tua Tagovailoa in similar circumstances.