Olave will make $15.5 in 2026 while on the option. That is, if the Saints don’t extend him before then. Even though he is under for two more seasons, the 2025 campaign looks like a make-or-break year for Olave. The former Buckeye has struggled with injuries, primarily concussions, and peaked at 1,123 yards two seasons ago. Saints GM Mickey Loomis noted that offensive tackle Trevor Penning will not have his fifth-year option exercised. Penning has struggled as a starter at left and right tackle through three seasons. He is likely fated for swing-tackle duties in the future. The move also makes New Orleans taking a tackle with the No. 9 overall pick a strong possibility.

Buried outside of the top-30 wideouts in best ball rankings at times this offseason, Olave figures to be a key fixture in Moore’s offense as long as he can stay healthy. He likely would have returned from his second 2024 concussion before the season ended if the Saints had happened to have something to play for. Olave was practicing in full for most of January. It’s not unfair to consider Olave in the Tua Tagovailoa mould for fantasy purposes — a good player, but one with added injury risk — now that he has four NFL concussions in three seasons. But the reward may outweigh the risk at some point on your board. Moore’s No. 1 wideouts have never lacked for targets.

Olave is practicing in full, but the Saints have nothing to play for. Despite likely being cleared for action, we would be surprised to see him take the field for a meaningless Week 18 contest. Assuming he doesn’t, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kevin Austin will run as the team’s top receivers versus Tampa Bay.

He practiced in full for most of last week, but the decision to hold him out reportedly came down to conditioning. It’s almost impossible to understand what a Week 18 Olave looks like without also figuring out the health of Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara, but if Olave played with Spencer Rattler in Week 18 he’d probably not be worth using in fantasy leagues given how weak that offense has looked the last three weeks.