Outside of Spencer Rattler and Alvin Kamara, the New Orleans Saints offense has struggled to find consistent contributors. Chris Olave has gotten off to a disappointingly slow start, surrounding concerns for an already struggling offense.
The Saints are ranked as the 2nd worst team in football through the first quarter of the season, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans. Scoring has been a challenge, as the offense is averaging just 16.5 points per game.
A big part of that is the lack of connection between Rattler and Olave.
Chris Olave struggles to find his rhythm in the first quarter of the season
After entering the season with high expectations, his slow start has highlighted the consistent lack of playmaking in the receiving game. With defense making Alvin Kamara the primary focus, Olave stepping up could bring much needed balance to the offense. The Saints will need him to find his rhythm to help jump start the receiving game.
Many believe that Olave has great potential to become one of the top wide receivers in the NFL and consider him among the the leagues most underrated receivers. However, through the first four games, he hasn’t shown the level of impact that many expected. A resurgence from him could be the big spark that the offense needs to put points on the board.
Olave has recorded 26 catches for 185 yards and a touchdown. He’s also averaging just 7.1 yards per catch, with his longest reception going for only 14 yards. Both are career lows and highlight the offenses lack of explosive plays downfield. This sluggish start marks the most underwhelming opening stretch of his four year career
Olave is certainly capable of turning things around and as Spencer Rattler grows more confident and comfortable in the offense, the downfield field opportunities should increase, giving him a chance to boost his production. If the Saints hope to turn things around offensively, they’ll need him to become a more consistent and explosive threat in the passing game.