Can Packers’ Romeo Doubs, Saints’ Chris Olave break out in 2022? Rookies impress in preseason Week 2

Abraham Smith

Romeo Doubs got a lot of hype from Aaron Rodgers in training camp after the Davante Adams trade ripped wide the Packers’ wide receiver depth map.

But heading into Team of the Season’s second preseason matchup on Friday against the Saints, Rodgers’ patience for the team’s broad receiving corps was exhausted.

“The young guys, especially the young receivers, we have to be a lot more consistent,” Rodgers said earlier in the week. “Many crashes, many wrong route decisions, drove the wrong route. We have to get better at that.”

MORE: How Doubs, Lazard & Watkins project depth map without Adams

Doubs made his case against the Saints, logging three receptions for 24 yards and his second touchdown in as many weeks, a beautiful grab in front of Saints defenseman Brian Allen who was deflated after the game.

Doubs, a fourth-round pick in this year’s NFL draft, was a bright spot this summer. He had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers in the Packers’ preseason opener. The score came on a blown coverage from San Francisco.

The Saints had a rookie receiver of their own Blitz on Friday. Chris Olave has garnered attention as No. 11 overall, New Orleans’ highest-drafted wide receiver since Wes Chandler was third overall in 1988. He wears the number 12, which was last worn by franchise icon Marques Colston. So yes, expectations are high.

Olave got the hype train rolling with two catches for 28 yards against Green Bay, including a touchdown where he sneaked between defenders and caught a delivery from Ian Book.

Could Romeo Doubs lead the Packers in 2022?

Doubs has found himself most comfortable among the Packers receivers who have been on the field during the preseason, but that has to be taken with a grain of salt.

First off, Green Bay’s veterans — Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb — aren’t playing, let alone Rodgers himself. Second-round rookie Christian Watson hasn’t seen the field either as he’s recovering from a knee injury.

MORE: Doubs or George Pickens: Who’s the better fantasy draft pick in 2022?

That aside, Doubs’ performance and Rodgers’ praise are encouraging, and it’s not hard to say he could be a breakout contender. Anyone who can win 50-50 balls in the end zone is sure to become a Rodgers favorite.

Adams’ Packers’ trade was a compelling move for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which was that it expressed a lot of confidence in Rodgers that it would work with the remaining wideouts. Lazard, Watkins and Cobb are well-known figures, so it could be argued that Watson and Doubs have the highest caps on the team and only one of them is currently getting reps.

Verdict: Possible

Could Chris Olave lead the Saints in 2022?

The shady Olave will share a depth map with Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, two NFL veterans with strong track records.

He has the added benefit of getting into an offense where the quarterback, in this case Jameis Winston, is unfamiliar with top receivers. Thomas didn’t play in 2021 due to injury and Landry was with the Browns.

That being said, Olave’s breakout potential is mitigated by the Saints’ offense and an offensive coordinator (Pete Carmichael) who knows Thomas. Thomas has had the lion’s share of goals for the Saints in the past, so expect him to be touched early and often this season.

MORE: Olave or Garrett Wilson: Who’s the Better Fantasy Draft Pick in 2022?

However, Olave poses a vertical threat, and he showed skill at working in and out of cover against Green Bay. But the reality is the Saints come into the season with an established hierarchy of receivers who should still be in their prime.

Verdict: Unlikely

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