Start Chris Olave or Zay Flowers? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Chris Olave over Zay Flowers in Week 1.

Zay Flowers is priced by the books at 2.6 projected points and Chris Olave is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Chris Olave at ADP 20 and Zay Flowers at 25.

What the books imply

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

Player prop markets imply 2.6 fantasy points for Zay Flowers, 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.

Zay Flowers and BAL visit IND on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

IND allowed 37.9 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 9th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 229 yards and a touchdown against IND.

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.

Zay Flowers 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, Zay Flowers played 17 games for BAL and scored 243.3 PPR points, 14.3 a game, finishing WR7.

He caught 86 of 118 targets for 1211 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 10 red zone targets and 753 air yards.

He was on the field for 86 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Zay Flowers, Week 18 of 2025 against PIT: 6 targets and 4 catches for 138 yards, 2 touchdowns, 29.8 PPR points.

Zay Flowers, Week 17 of 2025 against GB: 52 of 76 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 30 yards, 1 touchdown, 13.0 PPR points.

Zay Flowers, Week 16 of 2025 against NE: 49 of 55 snaps, 1 carry for 18 yards, 7 targets and 7 catches for 84 yards, 1 touchdown, 21.2 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Chris Olave scored 28.2 PPR points and Zay Flowers scored 26.0.

The call was right: Chris Olave outscored Zay Flowers by 2.2.

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.

Zay Flowers finished 23.4 points above the 2.6 the props implied.

Zay Flowers, Week 1 against IND: 20 of 68 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 150 yards, 1 touchdown, 26.0 PPR points.

Zay Flowers finished as the week's WR7 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 DeVonta Smith over Zay Flowers.
• Start Garrett Wilson over Zay Flowers.
• Start George Pickens over Zay Flowers.