Chris Olave injury puts paid to Saints WR’s chances of taking field Sunday against Falcons

As he recovers from his second concussion of the season, Chris Olave will sit out the New Orleans Saints' NFL match-up with the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, with interim head coach Darren Rizzi unsure over the wide receiver’s return.

How did Olave sustain new concussion?

Olave left the Saints’ Week 9 defeat to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, after colliding with Panthers safety Xavier Woods as he attempted to catch a pass in the first quarter.

The 24-year-old had already missed Week 7’s loss to the Denver Broncos after sustaining a head injury in New Orleans’ previous Game, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 13.

In total, Olave has now suffered four confirmed concussions since the Saints drafted the former Ohio State Buckeye in 2022.

Saints “trying to figure out what’s best” for Olave, coach says

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Rizzi said Olave is being looked at by both internal and external medical experts.

“We’re trying to figure out what’s best now for the long term,” said Rizzi, who has taken temporary charge in New Orleans after Dennis Allen was fired as head coach in the wake of the defeat to Carolina. “There’s a process which he’s going through. We met with our people, and then there’s people outside the building [...]. He’s meeting with multiple people.”

Rizzi added: “Chris is going to be out right now for the short term, and we’ll make a decision on the long term.”

Will Olave go on Saints' IR?

Asked whether the Saints are planning to place Olave on the injured reserve (IR) list, the interim boss said: “It hasn’t been officially determined yet, but it’s obviously on the table.” According to NFL rules, players on the IR must miss a minimum of four games before being reactivated. The league also has a strict, five-step concussion protocol that players must complete if they are to be cleared to return.

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Saints’ Week 10 injury report in full:

Out:

Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring), Chris Olave (concussion), Lucas Patrick (ankle), Cedrick Wilson (shoulder)

Questionable:

J.T. Gray (back), Rico Payton (back), Jamaal Williams (groin), John Ridgeway (oblique), Will Harris (hamstring), Shane Lemieux (knee), Nephi Sewell (knee)

Doubtful:

Erik McCoy (groin)

Falcons vs Saints: start time, how to watch

In Week 10 of the 2024 NFL regular season, the Saints host the Falcons at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday November 10. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the Game on FOX.

If you don’t have cable, you can tune in to FOX’s coverage on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free trial.

After losing to the Panthers in Week 9, the Saints head into the match-up with Atlanta with a 2-7 record. The Falcons, meanwhile, are 6-3 after two consecutive wins, the most recent of which was a 27-21 triumph over the Dallas Cowboys in Georgia.