Chris Olave has firmly reestablished himself as among the best receivers in football early in the 2026 campaign, with three 100-yard efforts across the first five games for the New Orleans Saints. But after a disappointing 6/46/0 line in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, Olave surprisingly popped up on New Orleans' injury report with an illness, raising questions about his status for a Week 6 trip to face the New York Giants.
Thankfully, it appears those questions will have a positive answer. Olave still isn't out of the woods just yet — and we still don't know exactly what's been bothering him this week — but the most recent reports from the Meadowlands suggest the Saints will have their WR1 in the lineup on Sunday afternoon.
Is Chris Olave playing today? Saints WR1 sounds like a go
Olave didn't practice all week with an unspecified illness, the latest in a long line of maladies that have plagued the former Ohio State star since coming into the league in 2022. But despite sitting out for the last few days, there doesn't seem to be concern about him actually missing Sunday's game: Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Olave is "expected to play" against the Giants.
#Saints RB Alvin Kamara (back) and WR Chris Olave (illness) are both listed as questionable and both expected to play, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 18, 2026
Again, we still have no idea what Olave is fighting through; it's possible he just had a fever, and it's possible he's battling something more serious that might hamper him on the field. Right now, though, it seems like the Saints feel good about having him in the lineup, and that means fantasy football owners should feel likewise.
What to expect from Chris Olave in fantasy football in Week 6
We don't know what we don't know, but if Olave is anything close to full health, he's an easy WR1 against the Giants on Sunday. He's been the clear top target for Tyler Shough this season, and that won't change as long as Jordan Tyson remains out. Devaughn Vele and Bryce Lance are fine supplementary pieces, but neither are anywhere close to Olave's level.
Having the right matchup helps, too, and while New York's secondary isn't a pushover so far this season, a lot of that has been racked up against mediocre passing offenses like the Cardinals, Titans and Commanders. With Paulson Adebo on IR and rookie Colton Hood ruled out for Sunday's game (not to mention safety Tyler Nubin), the Giants will ask Deonte Banks and Greg Newsome II to handle Olave on the outside, which hardly feels like a recipe for success.
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