What if the NFL had all-division teams? This is a question Matt Holder at Bleacher Report pondered in his recent article. There weren’t a lot of surprises in the NFC South, except for one. New Orleans Saints star receiver Chris Olave wasn’t included and was replaced by Carolina Panthers first round pick Tetairoa McMillan. Olave may have been injured in 2025, but still is talented enough to warrant a spot on this list.
Olave is entering his fourth year in the league after being selected No. 11 in the 2022 draft. He quickly made a name for himself by achieving back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in his first two years. However, his production fell to 400 yards after missing a majority of 2024 with injuries. If Olave can stay healthy, there’s no reason to believe he won’t return to his production prior to this year.
Saying Olave should make this list isn’t discounting McMillan. The rookie was a top 10 pick for a reason. He has an elite frame and thrives in contested catch situations. He is a great route runner for his size and is capable of making defenders miss after the catch. McMillan was highly productive while at Arizona, setting the all-time receiving yards record for the school. Still, it’s a surprise he made it over Olave without playing a snap.
Tetairoa McMillan has a great opportunity, but so does Chris Olave
“McMillan is the only surprise above.” Holder said, “Expect Young to heavily lean on the rookie as he should become the No. 1 receiver in Carolina this year.” Holder does make a great point that Bryce Young will likely rely heavily on McMillan in 2025. He walks into a receiver room highlighted by Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette which should leave plenty of space for him to get his targets.
A similar argument can be made for Olave. Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks are his two biggest competitors for targets. Olave has shown that when healthy, he receives lots of targets, a trend that should continue next year.
Tetairoa McMillan was a high draft pick and has tons of potential, but still shouldn’t have been put above Chris Olave in Bleacher Reports all-division team. Olave has both the talent and opportunity to thrive in 2025 if he can stay healthy. If he remains on the field, Olave is in for a massive year.