Chris Olave Hits Saints Injury Report, but Panic Isn't Warranted Yet
Olave (hamstring) was limited Thursday but reportedly left practice as a precaution. The bigger loss is a long snapper facing 4-6 weeks.
Precautionary hamstring, trending +3.9 FPTS over his last five games.
- Olave limited Thursday, WR27 in our ranks (WR6)
- Olave: 100 rec, 1163 yds, 9 TD in 2025 (270 PPR)
- Olave up +3.9 FPTS/G over his last 5 games (2025)
- Chase Young (calf) limited, team optimistic
- LS Zach Wood could miss 4-6 weeks with calf strain
Three new names showed up on the Saints' Thursday injury report, and the one fantasy managers care about is Chris Olave. The receiver was added with a hamstring issue and logged a limited session — but the context matters here. Per reporting out of New Orleans, Olave left practice as a precautionary move, and the injury isn't expected to be a real problem.
That's a big deal, because Olave is the engine of this passing game. He posted 100 catches for 1,163 yards and 9 touchdowns across 16 games in 2025, good for 270 PPR points and a WR27 finish overall in our rankings — WR6 at the position. He's also playing his best ball, averaging 3.9 fantasy points above his season number over his last five games last year.
Edge rusher Chase Young was the second addition, dealing with calf soreness that limited him Thursday. Like Olave, the vibe out of the building is optimistic. Neither situation reads like a lineup emergency at this stage of the week.
The actual injury blow is one you won't draft: long snapper Zach Wood, who could miss 4-6 weeks with a calf strain. That ends a remarkable run — Wood hasn't missed a game since signing with the Saints back in 2017, now in his 10th season. It doesn't touch your roster, but it's a real special-teams shakeup for New Orleans.
The Tight End Watch
Juwan Johnson is worth monitoring for a different reason. He sat out Wednesday with an illness before returning as a limited participant Thursday, which is the direction you want. Johnson quietly turned in 77 catches for 889 yards and 3 TDs over 17 games in 2025 (180 PPR points), landing as our TE8 and a legitimate streaming floor. Tight end Oscar Delp (hamstring) and veteran edge Cam Jordan (hamstring) were also limited.
The Fantasy Verdict
Keep Olave locked into your lineup. A precautionary hamstring plus a limited Thursday is not a red flag, and there's no scenario where you're benching a top-six WR over this unless he's a full non-participant Friday. Watch that final practice report, but plan to start him. Johnson is a fine desperation TE play if the illness fully clears — just confirm he practices Friday before trusting him.
