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

The Saints placed Olave on injured reserve after he suffered his second concussion of the season in Week 9, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. NFL As one insider noted, the standout wide receiver has an extensive “history” of brain diseases, which factor into his extended absences.

Given the underlying circumstances, here’s Olave’s status for the remainder of the 2024 season: legitimately in question – and quite reasonable. While his health comes first and we are among the fastest healers, fantasy managers suddenly lose their power. second/third round receiver for the foreseeable future.

Replacing Olave’s production and upside will not be easy for members of the virtual football community who have invested in him. He’s been up and down in terms of weekly output this year, albeit due to reasons beyond his control (injury and poor quarterback play/coaching). But his performance speaks for itself, as evidenced by back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023.

That said, the waiver wire feels like a good place to start. Check to see if these players are on the roster, available in more than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. If not, you may want to get at least one of these.

Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns (45 percent rostered)

The placement 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 positive for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Jeudy caught or surpassed Winston’s previous single-game season-high receiving total (73 yards) in both of his starts. But more importantly, he is fed. His 19 targets between Weeks 8 and 9 rank seventh-most during that stretch, and he has at least eight appearances in each contest.

While Jeudy and the Browns have a bye this week, they return after a short break to face a hapless Saints team. Notably, New Orleans recently traded away its top corner and lost talented linebacker Paulson Adebo to a season-ending femur fracture.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (43% rostered)

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

As you can see, the interruption of Brown’s secondary coverage allowed Johnston to break free and sprint toward the end zone. Even though the 23-year-old won’t be able to experience this situation regularly, he should benefit from Los Angeles. Increase in passing volume after bye.

Johnston, who looked like a first-round bust as a rookie in 2023, reminded us why the Chargers spent so much draft capital on him. He offers huge upside and is connected to Justin Herbert, one of the league’s most distinctive gunslingers.

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

Speaking of first-round picks, San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall deserves to fly.

Pearsall missed the first six weeks of the season after being shot in the chest on August 31. Full recovery and return within 50 days. Meanwhile, the Niners’ comeback couldn’t come at a better time.

San Francisco will be without Brandon Aiyuk this season after suffering ACL and MCL tears. Meanwhile, fellow star receiver Deebo Samuel is dealing with rib/oblique issues. The latter is seemingly always hurting, though he typically plays with his ailments.

Third baseman Jauan Jennings’ nagging hip ailment persists, putting his Week 10 status for San Fran in question. Suddenly, Pearsall might be the healthiest receiver the 49ers have ever had. Combine that with the latter’s draft history and talent and he’s a valuable addition.

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (36 percent rostered)

Another first-round wide receiver? From where.

Carolina Panthers rookie Xavier Legette has seen an increase in usage in recent weeks thanks to the departure of veteran Diontae Johnson. He has seen at least six targets and caught four passes in consecutive contests, scoring a touchdown in every game.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound Legette has been a factor inside the red zone for the Panthers. More specifically, inside the 10-yard line, he has become a reliable option for Carolina signal-caller Bryce Young. Over the past two weeks, the South Carolina graduate has become one of 19 receivers who can draw multiple targets in go-to-go situations.

Legette’s upside may be limited on a lowly Panthers roster, but he’s locked into a meaningful role.

DeMarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams (30 percent rostered)

DeMarcus Robinson has been a PPR WR6 for the past two weeks, but his value is mostly driven by touchdowns. He found salary dirt four times during this stretch, which is an outlier and can be misleading.

Scoring is a random/hard to predict statistic, so managers may want to keep that in mind when selecting Robinson. Regardless, he’s done enough to deserve consideration from managers needing a receiver. A nearly every-down player in a potent Los Angeles Rams offense, his ceiling is high enough to make the ridiculously low floor worth pursuing.

DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots (25 percent rostered)

DeMario Douglas’ 33 targets since Week 5 ranks 13th most in that span. Regardless, rookie signal-caller Drake Maye assumed the starting role in Week 6, indicating a positive correlation. While it doesn’t consistently deliver flashy fantasy stats, the volume is there.

Douglas should continue to feed from a cellar-dwelling Patriots team that has been involved in many negative game scenarios moving forward. He and Maye will likely have plenty of opportunities to bond.

Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers (24 percent rostered)

It remains to be seen whether Bryce Young can back up even one fantasy pass catcher, let alone two. We’ve already mentioned Xavier Legette, but veteran Adam Thielen breaks down the list.

Thielen won’t be available to the Panthers or fantasy managers until Week 12, but he’ll step into a sizeable role (presumably Diontae Johnson’s). Interestingly, the 34-year-old was 1-8 last season. He had caught Young’s passes at PPR WR8 in Weeks, so we’ve seen them work well together.

With minimal competition for targets in Carolina, Thielen, a two-time Pro Bowler, could quietly handle a significant workload. Not to mention the Panthers have one of the worst defensive units in football.