The New Orleans Saints have been decimated by injuries in recent years, especially at wide receiver. Injuries to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed decimated their passing attack last year. Realistically, the Saints aren't too far from where they started last year.
New Orleans had to pick up Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the middle of the year to be their top wide receiver. The offseason addition of Brandin Cooks gives you another reliable option in case there is injury. Though the Saints are an injury away from having just two sure things at the position.
Each of the top three receivers spent significant time on injured reserve last year. The Saints must avoid their worst case scenario and stay healthy.
Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have a history of injuries
Chris Olave has been injury riddled ever since entering the NFL. He stayed relatively healthy his first two years, playing 15 and 16 games, but still suffered a concussion each of those years. Things took a turn for the worse when he suffered two concussions in 2024, the last being season ending. Olave only played eight games last year due to injuries.
Rashid Shaheed played even less than Olave did in 2024. He suffered a torn meniscus in week six that caused him to miss the rest of the year. The concerning part is that wasn’t his only knee injury in his career. Shaheed missed time his junior year of college with a torn ACL.
Brandin Cooks has stayed mostly healthy in his 11 year NFL career. Still, he’s coming off a season where he spent seven weeks on injured reserve for the Cowboys. He initially had a cleaning procedure done to his knee, but an infection formed after which caused another surgery. This doesn't appear to be an injury that would linger
Why these three need to stay healthy
It’s pivotal that these three stay healthy in 2025. They create matchup nightmares for opposing defenses with their speed. They can force the defense to stretch back which will allow either Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler easier reads. In addition, they will have the opportunity for a deep shot if they want.
Another benefit of these three staying healthy is the rushing game. Having threats like Olave, Shaheed and Cooks won’t allow the defense to load the box. This will create easier lanes for the running backs. If injuries plague the receiving room again, defenses will key in on the rushing attack, making it less effective. For Kellen Moore’s offense to be successful, they can’t be one dimensional.
Once you get past these three, the question marks come into play. Cooks gives you a little more cushion than the Saints had last year, but it is still a shallow room. Players like Bub Means could take a step up, but you wouldn't want to force him up the totem pole.
The Saints must avoid their worst case scenario of the receiver room being decimated by injuries. We saw it happen in 2024, and they aren't much better equipped to handle injuries in 2025. Their absence wouldn’t only affect the passing attack but also the ground game.