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Chris Olave named a finalist for 2022 Pepsi Rookie of the Year award

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In what is shaping up to be a highly-decorated career, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave is getting consideration for major end of year awards in his rookie season. Olave has been selected as one of six finalists for the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award. The award is separate from the AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards, but is a high-honor in the NFL.

Olave is being recognized among an impressive field including New York Jets rookies cornerback Sauce Gardner (favorite for the AP defensive rookie of the year award) and former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson. He is also being considered alongside the 2022 NFL draft’s No. 2 overall selection, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Here’s what the NFL said of Olave’s rookie accomplishments in a press release:

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave led all rookies with 69.5 receiving yards per game, ranked second in receiving yards (1,042) and tied for second in receptions (72) in 2022. Olave became the third New Orleans rookie ever with at least 1,000 receiving yards, joining MARQUES COLSTON (1,038 receiving yards in 2006) and MICHAEL THOMAS (1,137 in 2016). He led all rookies with 12 games with 50-or-more receiving yards, tied for the third-most such games ever by a rookie, trailing only MICHAEL CLAYTON (14 games in 2004) and TERRY GLENN (13 in 1996.

Should he win this award, Olave would become the second Saints rookie to receive the honor. Back in 2017, running back Alvin Kamara became the first member of the black and gold to do so in a season where he also won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The explosive wideout has had his sites set on end of year rookie honors for some time and now he is one step closer to realizing his goal.

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