Start Luther Burden III or Chris Olave? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Chris Olave over Luther Burden III in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Chris Olave at 16.3 points and Luther Burden III at 14.8, a gap of 1.5. No player market is posted for Chris Olave this week yet, so his 16.3 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (17.2 and 15.4); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Chris Olave at ADP 25 and Luther Burden III at 51.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for Chris Olave yet. His market-based projections were 17.2 and 15.4 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 16.3, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Chris Olave is 0-1 touchdowns (5 market sources).

Player markets imply 14.8 fantasy points for Luther Burden III, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Luther Burden III is 67 receiving yards, 5-6 receptions and 0-1 touchdowns (8, 6 and 7 market sources).

That puts Chris Olave 1.5 points ahead of Luther Burden III on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

Chris Olave and NO host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 29.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 12th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 137 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against CLE.

Luther Burden III and CHI host TB on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

TB allowed 28.0 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 8th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 131 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against TB.

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

Injury status

Chris Olave is not on the injury report.

Luther Burden III is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 7, Chris Olave played 81 percent of NO snaps, drew 27 percent of the targets, earned 44 percent of the air yards and had 12 percent of the red zone chances.

Chris Olave, Week 4 against ATL: 64 of 74 snaps, 12 targets and 8 catches for 116 yards.

Chris Olave, Week 5 against MIN: 41 of 45 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 46 yards.

Chris Olave, Week 6 against NYG: 42 of 72 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 43 yards, 1 touchdown.

Chris Olave, Week 7 against PIT: 44 of 57 snaps, 10 targets and 6 catches for 56 yards.

Through Week 8, Luther Burden III played 61 percent of CHI snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 13 percent of the air yards and had 14 percent of the red zone chances.

Luther Burden III, Week 7 against NE: 42 of 69 snaps, 1 carry for 7 yards, 4 targets and 4 catches for 130 yards, 1 touchdown.

Luther Burden III, Week 8 against SEA: 9 targets and 7 catches for 56 yards, 1 touchdown.

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.

In 2025, Luther Burden III played 15 games for CHI and scored 127.9 PPR points, 8.5 a game, finishing WR48.

He caught 47 of 60 targets for 652 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 4 red zone targets and 318 air yards.

He was on the field for 39 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Luther Burden III, Week 18 of 2025 against DET: 1 carry for 10 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 35 yards, 7.5 PPR points.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Chris Olave.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Chris Olave.
• Start Chris Olave over Christian Watson.
• Start Luther Burden III over A.J. Brown.
• Start Luther Burden III over Christian Watson.
• Start Luther Burden III over Devaughn Vele.