Chris Olave Injury Update
Chris Olave is still dealing with a back injury/back spasms, missed Wednesday’s practice to open Week 14, and is officially listed on the Saints’ injury report with a back issue after it flared up following the Week 13 game vs the Dolphins. The team and beat reports consistently describe it as soreness and spasms rather than a new structural injury, which matters a lot if you’re trying to gauge risk instead of just panicking at the “DNP” tag. Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) shared on X that Chris Olave (back) did not practice on Wednesday.
Is Chris Olave Playing This Week?
Right now, Chris Olave has not been ruled out for the Saints’ Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he’s genuinely questionable and will need to get back on the practice field later in the week. The pattern is familiar: he hurt his back in a midweek practice before Week 13, went DNP‑DNP‑limited, was listed questionable, then played 87% of the snaps and went 4‑47‑1 on seven targets against Miami without any obvious in‑game setback. Draft Sharks (@DraftSharks) shared on X that Saints WR Chris Olave (back) did not practice on Wednesday. He played through this issue last week, so they expect him to be out there against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
This week, reports say the back “flared up” after that game, so the Saints held him out on Wednesday as more of a maintenance move, with Kellen Moore indicating they’ll see how he responds before deciding on his final status. For fantasy or betting purposes, that usually means: treat him as a true game‑time call, but don’t overreact until you see whether he practices in any capacity on Thursday or Friday and what designation he gets on the final injury report.
Chris Olave Stats
Even with the back issue, Olave has quietly put together another strong season, posting 73 catches on 115 targets for 781 yards and 5 touchdowns through 12 games in 2025. That puts him top‑15 in receiving yards and among the league leaders in targets, which fits what it feels like when you watch the Saints, every meaningful pass concept seems to end with the ball heading toward No. 12.
His per‑game line sits in that WR1/WR2 sweet spot: roughly 6 catches, 65 yards, and a decent shot at a score in any given week, with spike games over 90–100 yards when the matchup and game script cooperate. In a season where New Orleans has battled injuries to Alvin Kamara, Taliese Fuaga, and others, Olave’s volume and efficiency have basically been the stabilising force for the passing game, which is exactly why the staff is treating his back carefully. They need him right, not just active, for the stretch run.
Disclaimer
This Chris Olave injury update is for general information and fan discussion only. It is not medical, betting, or professional advice. Player status can change quickly, so always check official team reports, league injury pages, or trusted news outlets before making lineup, wagering, or other important decisions.
