Chris Olave

Chris Olave enters the 2026 fantasy season as a strong WR1/WR2 hybrid with clear top-12 upside if he stays healthy. He was excellent in 2025 when he played, and the biggest offseason storyline was his health after a blood clot in his lung ended his season in Week 18; the good news is that reports in June said he was expected to come off blood thinners on June 29 and be cleared for full football activity after that date.

The main concern with Olave is no longer talent, it is durability. His recent medical history includes the lung blood clot, plus the earlier concussion issues that have already made him one of the more fragile high-end receivers in fantasy, so drafters should build in some injury risk even while recognizing his weekly ceiling is excellent.

From a production standpoint, Olave still looks like the clear alpha target in New Orleans. Recent fantasy previews project him as a locked-in WR1 or low-end WR1, and the Saints’ offensive setup still points toward heavy usage for him if quarterback play is even average.

Overall, Olave should be drafted aggressively in 2026 as a receiver who can win weeks and deliver WR1 numbers, but he is best treated as a slightly volatile WR1 rather than a completely safe one. If your roster can absorb some health risk, he is the kind of player worth targeting because the combination of target share, role, and explosive upside remains elite.

New Orleans Saints report on Olave recovering from a blood clot, January 2026
NBC Sports report on Olave expected to come off blood thinners June 29, 2026
CBS Sports 2026 outlook for Chris Olave, June 2026
FantasyPros 2026 outlook for Chris Olave, updated August 2026
Draft Sharks fantasy points outlook for Chris Olave, updated August 2026