The New Orleans Saints will be without their WR1 for at least four games, and potentially longer. The Saints are expected to place Chris Olave on injured reserve after he suffered a concussion during last week's loss to the Carolina Panthers, per NFL Media, and there is a chance he will not return this season. Olave is reportedly seeking opinions of specialists on his latest head injury.
Olave was carted off the field after taking an illegal hit in Week 9, and taken to the hospital. This is his second concussion of the season, and ESPN reports the 24-year-old has now suffered four confirmed concussions over his NFL career.
In eight games played this season, Olave caught 32 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown. The former No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State recorded two 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his NFL career, including a 1,123-yard, five-touchdown season in 2023, but concussions have been an unfortunate storyline in his young career.
Olave will miss at least the next four games, and since New Orleans has its bye in Week 12, the soonest he could return would be in Week 15 against the Commanders.
This is clearly a massive hit to the Saints offense, which is already missing speedster Rashid Shaheed, who caught three touchdowns in the first five games of the season. The concern right now has to do with Olave's long-term health.
"He wants to go thoroughly through the process and making sure he's making the best decision for Chris Olave, removing football from that equation. ... What's the best decision for the person?" Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said, via ESPN. "So, my conversations with him and our medical staff, we've been thorough and his family's going to be thorough with the process. I completely support that. I have five kids of my own, and if that was one of my kids, I would want to do the same thing."
