Saints: How Davante Adams proved that Chris Olave can be a star
Chris Olave became a household name in year one of his career in New Orleans. The Saints spent a first-round pick on the wide receiver (after trading up), and that is already paying off for them. Olave showed off his downfield ability, route running, and pure speed in his freshman NFL season, and he's ready […]
Chris Olave became a household name in year one of his career in New Orleans.
The Saints spent a first-round pick on the wide receiver (after trading up), and that is already paying off for them. Olave showed off his downfield ability, route running, and pure speed in his freshman NFL season, and he's ready to build on that.
With a new quarterback in Derek Carr, there's no reason to doubt that Olave can improve in his sophomore season at the pro level.
One of the best receivers of this generation has already given a blueprint to how the young Saints WR can succeed for a long time in the NFL. It's Davante Adams, a former teammate of Derek Carr.
In just his first professional season, Saints fans saw plenty of highlights down the field from Olave. That was with Andy Dalton as his QB for most of the season as well.
Now, with an upgrade, he will get more opportunities, and Carr has shown that he's not afraid to push the ball down the field when possible. Davante Adams' sustained success at catching touchdowns 20+ yards downfield only provides fuel to the fire for Olave.
The Saints wideout averaged 14.5 YPC this past season with a limited offense and QB when it came to stretching the field.
Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. is sure to adjust with new talent along the offense and give his best vertical option more opportunities this year.
Expect Olave's yards per catch and yards per target go up this season and beyond. He will also look to build on his TD number from a year ago. That total was six, so don't be shocked if he hits double digits in 2023.
A 1,000-yard season is extremely impressive for a rookie, and Olave eclipsed that in 2022, too.
Adams' past with Olave's new quarterback could foreshadow greatness ahead for the Saints receiver.
