Highlighting New Orleans Saints' top performers on offense in 2025

Kellen Moore was hired as head coach last offseason with an eye towards improving the New Orleans Saints offense. It took awhile after an excruciatingly slow start, and injuries decimated the unit down the stretch, but we did see a better product. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough led the transformation after being installed as starter in Week 9. Numbers don’t necessarily back up what we saw on the field. The Saints ranked 23rd in total yardage and 28th in points scored on the year. However, those statistics were exponentially better once Shough took over at quarterback. This was in spite of an incredible rash of injuries that stripped the Saints down to practice squad players and waiver pickups at wide receiver and running back.

Here are our top three performers from the New Orleans offense in 2025.

Kelvin Banks Jr.

A three-time All-American for the Texas Longhorns, Banks was selected by New Orleans with the ninth choice in last springs draft. He was the instant starter at left tackle, moving 2024 first round pick Taliese Fuaga over to right tackle. The two formed a strong tandem on the outside for the Saints in both run blocking and pass protection. They were the only bright spots on an otherwise abysmal offensive line.

Banks started all 17 games for the Saints at left tackle, playing 95% of the offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Banks a 73.3 overall grade, ranking him 29th among 89 offensive tackles. PFF gave him a grade of 76.2 as a run blocker, ranking him 19th, with a 70 grade and 41st in pass blocking. The reality is that he was better than that, as is usually the case with PFF for people who watch games intelligently.

Kelvin Banks had some penalty issues down the stretch of the year, getting flagged a total of 10 times. Only three of those were holding calls, with five being false starts. Banks was a bully in the run game and was often able to take on pass rushers one-on-one. He consistently showed the skills of a perennial Pro Bowler with an impressive combination of power, agility, and technique. With Banks and Fuaga, the Saints potentially have a top-tier tackle tandem for the next several years.

Chris Olave

Olave put together the healthiest and most productive season of his four-year career. After concussions limited him to only eight games in 2024, Olave bounced back to start a career-best 16 games in 2025. He had some rocky moments finishing plays, especially early in the year, but emerged with the type of numbers usually produced by the league’s top receivers.

In 2025, Olave had 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and 9 touchdowns on 156 targets. All four were the highest of his career and led the Saints by a wide margin. No other wideout that finished the year on the New Orleans roster had more than 25 catches or 300 yards. Tight end Juwan Johnson was second to Olave in receiving production with 77 receptions and 889 yards. In other words, Olave remained productive despite the lack of other threats at wideout to divert defensive attention.

Olave had three 100-yard receiving games and four more outings with at least 70 yards. He had at least 5 receptions in 11 contests, including seven outings of 7 catches or more. Olave appeared to have a strong chemistry with Shough. With improved receiving talent in 2026, the 25-year-old wideout should be an even more dangerous weapon for New Orleans.

Tyler Shough

New Orleans was heavily criticized in some circles when they used a second round pick on Shough at the 40th overall choice. Whether they’ll actually have the intestinal fortitude to admit it, those people now have egg on their face. The second highest drafted quarterback in Saints history didn’t get his first significant action until replacing Spencer Rattler in the second half of a Week 8 loss to Tampa Bay. He’d get his first career start the following week and played better than any other NFL rookie over the second half of the 2025 season.

Shough threw for 2,384 yards and accounted for 13 touchdowns while throwing 6 interceptions. Under Rattler, New Orleans averaged 13.9 points, 198.3 passing yards, and 288.6 total yards per game. After Shough took over, those averages jumped to 19.8 points, 251 passing yards, and 343.4 total yards per contest. The rookie showed especially strong poise in the fourth quarter while exhibiting good athleticism along with terrific arm strength and ball placement.

Remember that Shough accomplished what he did with a decimated supporting cast and a putrid offensive line. He played seven of his nine starts without Alvin Kamara, eight without Rashid Shaheed, and three without Devaughn Vele and Devin Neal. Over the last three games, the Saints had literal practice squad elevations and mid-season waiver signings at wideout and running back. Tyler Shough was the best rookie in the NFL in 2025 and gave a strong indication that he’ll be the Saints quarterback of a bright future.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 Saints Offensive Stars: Tyler Shough, Kelvin Banks, Chris Olave

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