Week 12 at Detroit Lions
Adam Thielen is on fire, scoring in his last three games while averaging 129 yards in that span. He's second in the NFL in receiving yards (916), and has played consistently well all year long, catching at least five passes in every game.
He gets a decent matchup this week against the Lions, a team he played somewhat well against earlier in the season (5 receptions, 59 yards). We expect another strong outing from Thielen this week, as he should be viewed as a strong WR1 in the Thanksgiving Day matchup.
Week 11 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Adam Thielen has been a nice surprise this season as he's third in receiving yards per game (88.1). He hasn't been a big scorer, but he has found the end zone in two straight games. He also has at least 90 receiving yards in five of his nine games, making him a consistent contributor.
He could have some trouble this week in a difficult matchup against the Rams, though.The Rams have allowed just 5 touchdowns to wideouts this season, tied for third-fewest in the league.
Thielen should still be viewed as a WR1 this week due to his potential, but don't be surprised if he has a down week in a bad matchup.
Week 10 at Washington
Adam Thielen had another solid outing two weeks ago when the Vikings last played, catching 5-of-10 targets for 98 yards and a touchdown. Thielen has been pretty reliable this year as he's had at least 40 yards in all but one game, as well as at least 5 receptions. His only downfall is that he's scored just once this season.
He could struggle a bit this week, though, as he gets a tough matchup against a Washington defense that has held receivers to 10 receptions or less in five games this season. Despite the non-favorable matchup, we still like Thielen as a low-end WR1 in PPR formats and as a strong WR2 in standard.
Week 8 vs. Browns (game in London)
Adam Thielen was the intended target of 12 passes last week, but he only came down with 5 receptions for 41 yards. Minnesota is trying to get Thielen involved with Stefon Diggs out, and it's worked out most weeks, just not so much last week.
Diggs is expected to be out again this week, which means you can probably expect double-digit targets for Thielen again. He gets a decent matchup against the Browns, and we expect him to do better than last week. He should be viewed as a decent WR2 in Week 8.
Week 7 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Adam Thielen shined last week with Stefon Diggs out, catching 9 passes for 96 yards (on 13 targets). He's had a pretty solid season overall, averaging over 80 yards per game. His numbers could slide a bit this week, though, as he gets a brutal matchup against the Ravens.
Baltimore is allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing wideouts and the fourth-fewest receiving yards per game. We still like Thielen this week because he should continue to get plenty of targets with Diggs likely out again, but there is a chance he could have a down performance. He should be viewed as a WR2 option this week.
Week 6 vs. Green Bay Packers
Adam Thielen was second on the team in targets (8) last week, but struggled to do too much with them in a struggling Vikings offense. He finished with 34 yards (season-low) on 5 catches and that was even with Stefon Diggs missing some time due to an injury.
He'll get a decent matchup this week against the Packers where he'll hope to bounce back. Perhaps a full week of practice with Case Keenum will help instead of playing with two quarterbacks in one game.
Thielen has been pretty reliable this season outside of last week, although he still hasn't scored this season. He should be viewed as a low-end WR1, especially with Stefon Diggs being ruled out.
Week 5 at Chicago Bears
Stefon Diggs leads the NFL in receiving yards, but Adam Thielen isn't too far behind him as he's in third. He also has two more receptions and the same amount of targets as Diggs. In other words, Thielen wasn't just a one-year wonder last season.
We look for Thielen to have more success this week in a decent matchup against the Bears. He's remained pretty consistent this season, but his main drawback is the fact he hasn't found the end zone. He could score this week as the Bears allowed four touchdowns to receivers a week ago, but it's no guarantee. Still, Thielen should be viewed as a low-end WR1 this week.
Week 4 vs. Detroit Lions
Adam Thielen has had a strong season so far, averaging about 100 yards per game. With Case Keenum in at quarterback last week, Thielen finished with 5 receptions for 98 yards on 8 targets. He's been the clear No. 2 target behind Stefon Diggs.
Thielen will get a decent matchup against the Lions this week. Detroit has been middle-of-the-pack when it comes to allowing points vs. receivers this season. We expect Thielen to continue to get right around his average, which makes him a WR3 option against the Lions.
Week 3 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Without Sam Bradford, Adam Thielen had a drop-off performance in Week 2. He wasn't awful, but his 5 receptions for 44 yards wasn't exactly appealing, either. His value would take a hit this week if Sam Bradford is unable to play, especially against a tough defense like the Bucs.
If Bradford is able to go, though, then Thielen should be in the fantasy picture. He's the team's deep threat receiver after Bradford dumps passes off to Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph, meaning he's prone to having big 100-yard games.
Assuming Bradford is healthy, Thielen should be viewed as a strong WR3 play this week.
Week 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Even though Diggs stole the show with two scores in Week 1, Adam Thielen delivered his own breakout performance. He led the team in targets (10), receptions (9), and yards (157). He proved last year's big games weren't just a fluke, and he has a chance to continue to have these big games.
He gets a decent matchup this week against the Steelers, and if he continues to get targets he'll be a solid fantasy start. He should be viewed as a strong WR2 play.
