Despite the passing game being such a pivotal part of the New Orleans Saints success, it was not until recent years that the team even had a 100-catch receiver season. It took until former wide receiver Michael Thomas crossed the century mark three straight seasons beginning in 2017 that they achieved that feat.
Now, the team has had several successful receiving seasons in other primary categories. Many 1,000 yard receivers, double-digit touchdown reception years and more. But despite that recent success, Saints third-year wideout Chris Olave is already firmly entrenched as one of the team's top producers already.
Olave is just one 1,000-yard receiving year away from moving ahead of former wide receiver Brandin Cooks just outside the franchise's top-10 in that category. Additionally, he currently sits third on the all-time receiving yards list for a Saints player's first two years in the league.
Just 76 more yards in 2023 would have launched Olave past Colston for No. 2 on the list. Even though he came up just shy of that mark last year, in 2024 he has another opportunity. Colston's 2008 season, the third of his career, was cut short due to injury. Because of that, Olave now only needs 836 receiving yards to move past Colston's 3,000-yard mark in his first three seasons.
Olave has averaged 1,082.5 recieving yards in his first two seasons. So he is well-positioned to move into the second spot on this prestigious franchise list.
If he wants to really make some noise and overtake Thomas for the No. 1 spot, he will need a season that would almost certainly get him All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition. Thomas finished his third year with a cumulative 3,787 receiving yards. Meaning Olave would need to get at least 1,623 in 2024 in order to take the crown. Not impossible, however.
The Saints' new offensive system looks to be ready to highlight the explosive nature of its weapons. wide receivers Olave and Rashid Shaheed should be in prime position to explode onto the scene with the new approach. If 2022 first-rounder were to hit that mark, he would be in contention to lead the league, something a Saints player has not accomplished since Thomas' reconrd-breaking 2019 season (1,725).
Last year's receiving yards leader, Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, was just beyond 170 of that total. The expectation does not need to be that Olave will exceed the 1,600-yard mark. But the possibility of him moving into No. 2 in franchise history through the first three years is very accessible. Anything beyond that would be a lagniappe.
The former Ohio State Buckeye is already establishing himself as one of the best early-career receivers in Saints history. Being in the same conversations as Thomas and Colston prove that. But in coming years he does have a shot to elevate himself from "one of the best" to "the best" beginning with a stellar showing in 2024.
