Sep 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele (14) reacts to scoring a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers safety Jason Pinnock (25) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saints Playmaker Drawing Early 2026 Breakout Buzz

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 4:29 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints should be in the market for another wide receiver this offseason, but that doesn't mean there isn't some significant talent with the franchise right now.

Chris Olave is a No. 1 option around the league. There aren't a lot of clear-cut, No. 1 receivers out there, but Olave is just that. In 2025, he had 100 catches for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns. All three were new career highs and he's just 25 years old.

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The Saints have another receiver to be excited about as well in Devaughn Vele. The Saints traded a 2026 fourth-round pick and 2027 seventh-round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Vele before the season and he wasn't utilized in the first half of the season. That changed after Rashid Shaheed was traded, though. Vele had 293 total yards on the season in 13 games. 239 of those yards came in his final four games of the season. He averaged 59.75 yards per game across his final four games. That would be on pace for just over 1,015 yards across 17 games.

The Saints have a chance to be good in 2026

There's a lot of hype around Vele heading into 2026. So much so that Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman tabbed Vele as the team's early 2026 breakout candidate.

"New Orleans Saints: WR Devaughn Vele," Wasserman wrote. "Vele's 293 receiving yards this season may not seem like much, but he started to develop a nice rapport with quarterback Tyler Shough before missing the Saints' final three games due to injury. From Weeks 12 through 15, Vele earned an 84.7 PFF receiving grade while averaging nearly 60 yards per game. The Saints are searching for reliable weapons alongside Chris Olave, and Vele could be an option."

Imagine what this offense could look like in 2026 with a healthy Olave, a full season of Vele in the role from the second half and another addition this offseason? That should be the path forward and could take the team over the top.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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