Chris Olave vs Ladd McConkey: Who Should You Start?
Chris Olave and Ladd McConkey are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Chris Olave averaged 13.7 PPG across 16 games with the New Orleans Saints, while Ladd McConkey posted 9.2 PPG in 16 appearances for the Los Angeles Chargers.
A 4.5-PPG gap gives Chris Olave the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. Chris Olave saw 156 targets in 2025, while Ladd McConkey drew 106. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Chris Olave, even in weeks where Ladd McConkey posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Chris Olave sits Week 12 while Ladd McConkey is off Week 5. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
