Chris Olave Travels to Baltimore Despite Hamstring — Good Sign for Fantasy
The WR27 in our rankings hurt his hamstring in practice but boarded the plane. Chase Young made the trip too, nursing a calf.
Traveling is encouraging, but confirm active status before locking him in.
- Olave: our WR27, #6 at the position
- 100 rec, 1163 yds, 9 TD in 2025 (270 PPR)
- Last 5 games: +3.9 fantasy pts vs season avg
- Chase Young (calf) also traveled, questionable
- Kevin Austin, Scott Daly elevated for Sunday
Chris Olave boarded the plane to Baltimore with the Saints on Saturday, and for fantasy managers sweating a hamstring scare all week, that's the headline you wanted. Olave, our WR27 and the No. 6 receiver at the position, tweaked the hamstring in practice but wasn't left behind in New Orleans — usually the first tell that a guy has been ruled out.
That doesn't make him a lock. He's officially questionable, and hamstrings are the kind of injury that can flip an hour before kickoff. But the travel decision matters: teams don't fly a player cross-country to sit him on the sideline in street clothes. The Saints also elevated Kevin Austin — the same depth piece they promoted for the Week 1 loss to Detroit — plus long snapper Scott Daly, so the receiver room is built to absorb a downgrade if it comes.
Olave isn't the only Saint on the injury watch. Defensive end Chase Young is dealing with a calf issue and is also listed as questionable, and he made the trip as well. For fantasy purposes Young matters mostly in IDP formats, but his status is part of the same New Orleans body count heading into Sunday.
Why Olave Still Matters
Let's not lose the plot on how good Olave was in 2025: 100 catches for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns across 16 games, good for 270 PPR points. That's a genuine WR1 line, and he's been trending up lately — his last five games came in at +3.9 fantasy points above his season average. When healthy, he's not a player you bench lightly.
The catch is the hamstring's effect on a route runner who lives on separation. Even if Olave suits up, a compromised lower body can quietly cap his volume and his deep targets, which is where a chunk of his ceiling lives.
The Fantasy Call
Treat Olave as a WATCH until inactives drop. If he's active and you're thin at receiver, you play him — his floor as the Saints' clear alpha is worth the risk in most PPR builds. But have a plan B stashed and check your app before the early window locks. If the hamstring keeps him out, don't chase Austin off the elevation news; he's a body, not a fantasy answer.
