Chris Olave Limited in Thursday Practice With New Foot Injury

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave appeared on the injury report with a foot issue after returning to a limited practice on Thursday ahead of a Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Chris Olave Returns to Practice With a New Foot Injury

The New Orleans Saints welcomed back star wide receiver Chris Olave to the practice field on Thursday, but his return brought an unexpected roster concern. Olave was limited during the session due to a foot injury that immediately placed his workload for the upcoming weekend into question.

Through the first four weeks of the season, Olave leads the league with 48 targets, hauling in 35 catches for 491 yards and a touchdown across four games.

Coach Explains Wednesday Rest Day Discrepancy

Olave sat out Wednesday’s workout entirely. At the time, the team categorized the absence as a routine rest day, and head coach Kellen Moore clarified three times that the decision bore no relation to any physical ailment. Moore was unavailable to speak with reporters on Thursday, leaving the exact timeline of the foot issue unverified by the coaching staff.

During the final moments of that lopsided contest, Olave took a heavy lower-body hit and subbed himself out for the remainder of the game’s final possession. When asked why his starters remained on the field so late in a decided game, Moore defended the decision.

after taking a hard hit with two minutes left in the game, even though the wideout was slow to get up and did not re-enter the contest.

Kellen Moore, via Nola

Saints Issue Injury Report Updates Ahead of Vikings Matchup

The Saints face the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings on Monday, October 11, at Caesars Superdome, bringing a lengthy designation list into the Week 5 contest. Alongside Olave, running back Alvin Kamara returned to a limited participant status on Thursday after dealing with back soreness that kept him sidelined a day earlier.

Other players managing limited designations on Thursday included safety Julian Blackmon with a shoulder issue, receiver Barion Brown with a thigh injury, tight end Noah Fant due to an abdomen concern, guard Jeremiah Wright recovering from a concussion, and edge rusher Carl Granderson managing an ankle injury ahead of the weekend. Meanwhile, quarterback Tyler Shough saw an upgrade, moving to a full participant despite being listed with an injury to his left hand.