Adam Thielen

2022 Fantasy Upside
Adam Thielen finished as a WR1 in 2020 when he caught 14 touchdowns as Kirk Cousins' go-to red zone target even as rookie phenom Justin Jefferson emerged on the same depth chart. While Thielen took a step back in 2021 (in part due to injury), he still managed 10 touchdowns in only 13 games. While Thielen will turn 32 in August and his efficiency has predictably declined as he ages, he continues to maintain fantasy relevance due to his chemistry with Cousins, particularly near the end zone. The Vikings offense is expected to play a more aggressive style this season with Mike Zimmer out of the picture and Kevin O'Connell installed as Head Coach. More trips to the red zone could balance out any loss of yardage or efficiency in Thielen's fantasy profile as he enters the late stages of his career. Thielen may not be an exciting pick, but he still brings double-digit touchdown upside and has limited target competition aside from Jefferson.

2022 Fantasy Downside
Thielen's downside begins with his age. At 32, Thielen is well past the prime age of production for WRs, and he did end up missing the final four games last season due to an ankle injury that required surgery. The Vikings may not have many established pass catching options outside of Jefferson and Thielen, but K.J. Osborn showed he could play after Thielen got hurt last year and Irv Smith Jr. is a talented prospect at tight end. Should Thielen hit an age-related cliff, Osborn and Smith look poised to absorb chunks of his target share.

2022 Bottom Line
Thielen should be useful in fantasy as a borderline WR2 due to his touchdown potential and established rapport with Cousins. Thielen is not getting any hype as a 32-year-old veteran, but at a certain point he becomes a value, especially if O'Connell follows through on his pledge to make the Minnesota offense more aggressive.

Week 13 at Lions

Adam Thielen continues to laugh at the idea of touchdown regression, finding the endzone six times in his last six games, including two against the 49ers last week. The veteran wideout is now up to 63 receptions, 686 yards, and 10 touchdowns on the season. While the yardage output isn't that great, it's clear that the touchdowns aren't going away because Cousins likes to feed him in the red zone.

The Vikings should be able to move the ball at will against this Lions defense, which should give Thielen plenty of opportunities to hit pay dirt once again. While he's the clear-cut number-two option in this offense, you still have to like him as a rock-solid WR2 with upside, especially in terrific matchups like this one.