Chris Olave has established himself as a superstar in the New Orleans Saints offense, but he still hasn’t broken out on the national stage. Some will chalk this up to injuries, which is a reason. However, the more pressing matter is a lack of weapons around him. Fortunately for him, the Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson this offseason, who will be a valuable weapon and help Olave reach his full potential.
Olave has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in three of his first four seasons in the NFL. He struggled to start 2025, but took off with Tyler Shough under center, having 352 yards and four touchdowns in his final three showings. Everything’s aligning for a breakout year for Olave. However, perhaps the biggest factor in that is going under the radar: the addition of Tyson.
On the surface, this move doesn’t seem impactful for Olave. Won’t he just take away targets? Although this is partially true, Tyson will allow Olave to play his natural role: a deep threat. In recent years, he was forced to be a middle-of-the-field, short-yardage threat, which he just isn’t. Now, he can focus on taking the top off the defense.
The targets may decrease, but the efficiency will skyrocket for Chris Olave.
Last offseason, head coach Kellen Moore said that every player had a superpower; the coaching staff just had to find what it was. For Olave, this is his speed mixed with route running. Now, primarily being a deep threat, his efficiency will increase, and he will be more impactful for Tyler Shough and the Saints’ offense.
Throughout college, Olave’s average depth of target was 15.5 yards. He hasn’t reached this number in the NFL, averaging 13.3 yards. During the front-end of last year, this number dipped even more, frequently falling under 9 yards. He was being targeted in short areas and wasn’t being used efficiently. Expect that to change now, as Tyson thrives in those areas and can take those targets.
Tyson is still an unproven product who has to stay healthy, but he has the potential to unlock Chris Olave and allow the veteran to maximize his potential. There’s no limit to the Saints’ offense if Tyler Shough can consistently target his explosive playmakers.
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