Start Chris Olave or George Pickens? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start George Pickens over Chris Olave in Week 1.

George Pickens is priced by the books at 12.2 projected points. Chris Olave has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take George Pickens at ADP 24 and Chris Olave at 20. Market coverage on George Pickens is 70 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for Chris Olave in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 12.2 fantasy points for George Pickens, with 70 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Chris Olave and NO visit DET.

DET allowed 55.6 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 293 yards and a touchdown against DET.

George Pickens and DAL visit NYG on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

NYG allowed 29.2 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 15th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 112 yards and a touchdown against NYG.

By points allowed to the position, Chris Olave has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Chris Olave was not on the injury report when the call was made.

George Pickens was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Chris Olave played 16 games for NO and scored 269.0 PPR points, 16.8 a game, finishing WR6.

He caught 100 of 156 targets for 1163 yards and 9 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 874 air yards.

He was on the field for 84 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Chris Olave, Week 17 of 2025 against TEN: 49 of 54 snaps, 11 targets and 8 catches for 119 yards, 1 touchdown, 25.9 PPR points.

Chris Olave, Week 16 of 2025 against NYJ: 61 of 78 snaps, 16 targets and 10 catches for 148 yards, 2 touchdowns, 36.8 PPR points.

Chris Olave, Week 15 of 2025 against CAR: 58 of 69 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 85 yards, 1 touchdown, 20.5 PPR points.

In 2025, George Pickens played 17 games for DAL and scored 291.9 PPR points, 17.2 a game, finishing WR5.

He caught 93 of 137 targets for 1429 yards and 9 touchdowns, with 21 red zone targets and 950 air yards.

He was on the field for 83 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

George Pickens, Week 18 of 2025 against NYG: 3 targets and 1 catch for 9 yards, 1.9 PPR points.

George Pickens, Week 17 of 2025 against WAS: 80 of 92 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 78 yards, 11.8 PPR points.

George Pickens, Week 16 of 2025 against LAC: 51 of 58 snaps, 9 targets and 7 catches for 130 yards, 1 touchdown, 26.0 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

George Pickens scored 5.8 PPR points and Chris Olave scored 28.2.

The call was wrong: Chris Olave outscored George Pickens by 22.4.

George Pickens finished 6.4 points below the 12.2 the props implied.

George Pickens, Week 1 against NYG: 49 of 58 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 28 yards, 5.8 PPR points.

George Pickens finished as the week's WR63 in PPR scoring.

Chris Olave, Week 1 against DET: 77 of 90 snaps, 13 targets and 10 catches for 182 yards, 28.2 PPR points.

Chris Olave finished as the week's WR5 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start A.J. Brown over Chris Olave.
• Start Drake London over Chris Olave.
• Start Garrett Wilson over Chris Olave.
• Start George Pickens over A.J. Brown.
• Start George Pickens over DeVonta Smith.
• Start Drake London over George Pickens.