7 waiver wire WRs fantasy managers can attempt to replace Chris Olave with

The New Orleans Saints and fantasy football managers will be without Chris Olave for at least the next four games (and five weeks).

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Saints have placed Olave on injured reserve after suffering his second concussion of the season in Week 9. However, as the renowned NFL insider mentions, the standout wide receiver has an extensive "history" of brain ailments, which is factoring into his prolonged absence.

Given the underlying circumstances of the matter, Olave's status for the remainder of the 2024 campaign is legitimately in question — and reasonably so. While his health comes first and foremost and we him the speediest of recoveries, fantasy managers suddenly lose their second/third-round receiver for the foreseeable future.

Replacing Olave's production and upside will be no easy feat for members of the virtual football community who invested in him. He's been a rollercoaster regarding weekly output this year, albeit for reasons beyond his control (injury and poor quarterback play/coaching). But his track record speaks for itself, demonstrated by his consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023.

Nonetheless, the waiver wire feels like a good place to start. Check to see if these players, available in over 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, are rostered. If not, you might want to pick up at least one of them.

7 waiver wire WRs fantasy managers can attempt to replace Chris Olave with

Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns (45 percent rostered)

The installation of veteran quarterback Jameis Winston under center has been a positive development for the Cleveland Browns organization -- excluding Deshaun Watson. The former's presence has been particularly favorable for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Jeudy has matched or exceeded his previous single-game season-high receiving total (73 yards) in both of Winston's starts. But more importantly, he's getting fed. His 19 targets between Weeks 8 and 9 are the seventh-most during that stretch, drawing at least eight looks in each contest.

While Jeudy and the Browns are on bye this week, they return from their brief recess to a matchup against a hapless Saints squad. Notably, New Orleans recently traded their top cover corner and lost talented defensive back Paulson Adebo to a season-ending broken femur.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (43 percent rostered)

A high-ankle sprain sidelined Quentin Johnston for the Los Angeles Chargers' past two games, but he returned in Week 9 to finish as the PPR WR8. His four catches for 118 yards and a touchdown yielded 22 points, highlighted by this 66-yard catch-and-run score:

As you can see, broken coverage by Browns secondary allowed Johnston to get free and dash toward the end zone. While the 23-year-old won't have that going for him regularly, he should benefit from Los Angeles' increased post-bye pass volume.

After looking like a first-round bust as a rookie in 2023, Johnston has reminded us why the Chargers spent such lofty draft capital on him. He offers big-play upside and is attached to Justin Herbert, one of the league's most pronounced gunslingers.

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (36 percent rostered)

Speaking of first-round selections, San Francisco 49ers rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall is worthy of a flier.

Pearsall missed the first six weeks of the season after getting shot in the chest on Aug. 31. Remarkably, he's made a full recovery and comeback in 50 days. Meanwhile, his return couldn't have happened at a better time for the Niners.

San Francisco will be without Brandon Aiyuk for the season following his torn ACL and MCL. Meanwhile, fellow star receiver Deebo Samuel has been dealing with ribs/oblique issues. The latter is ostensibly always hurt, though he typically plays through his ailments.

Third-stringer Jauan Jennings' nagging hip malady is lingering, putting his Week 10 status for San Fran in question. Suddenly, Pearsall might be the healthiest receiver the 49ers have. Combine this with the latter's draft pedigree and talent, and he makes for a worthwhile addition.

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (36 percent rostered)

Another first-round wide receiver? Why not.

Carolina Panthers rookie Xavier Legette has seen an uptick in usage in recent weeks, thanks to the departure of veteran Diontae Johnson. He's seen at least six targets and caught four passes in consecutive contests, scoring touchdowns in each game.

At 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, Legette has been a factor inside the red zone for the Panthers. More specifically, inside the 10-yard line, he's become a trusted option for Carolina signal-caller Bryce Young. Over the past two weeks, the South Carolina alum is one of only 19 receivers to draw multiple targets in go-to-goal situations.

Legette's upside may be capped on a lowly Panthers squad, but he's locked into a meaningful role.

DeMarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams (30 percent rostered)

DeMarcus Robinson has been the PPR WR6 over the past two weeks, though his value has mostly derived from touchdowns. He's found paydirt four times during this stretch, which is an outlier and can be misleading.

Scoring is flukey/hard-to-predict stat, so managers might want to keep that in mind when scooping Robinson. Regardless, he's done enough to merit consideration for receiver-need managers. A near-every-down player on a potent Los Angeles Rams offense, his ceiling is high enough to make the ridiculously low floor worth chasing.

DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots (25 percent rostered)

DeMario Douglas' 33 targets since Week 5 are the 13th-most in that span. For what it's worth, rookie signal-caller Drake Maye assumed the starting role in Week 6, indicating a positive correlation. While it hasn't consistently yielded gaudy fantasy stats, the volume is there.

Douglas should continue to get fed on a cellar-dwelling Patriots team that figures to be in plenty of negative game scripts moving forward. He and Maye will presumably have ample opportunities to build their rapport.

Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers (24 percent rostered)

Whether Bryce Young can support one fantasy-viable pass-catcher remains to be seen, let alone two. We already mentioned Xavier Legette, yet veteran Adam Thielen cracks the list.

Thielen won't be available for the Panthers or fantasy managers until Week 12, but he'll step into a sizable role (conceivably Diontae Johnson's). Intriguingly, the 34-year-old was the PPR WR8 from Weeks 1-8 last season while catching passes from Young, so we've seen them work well together.

A two-time Pro Bowler with minimal competition for targets in Carolina, Thielen could quietly moonwalk into a considerable workload. Not to mention, the Panthers boast one of the worst defensive units in football.