Will Landing on the Panthers Resurrect Adam Thielen’s Fantasy Appeal?

Neil Dutton
March 20, 2023

Nine seasons after signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent, Adam Thielen was released by the team just over a week ago. Thielen was not out of work for long, however. The Carolina Panthers signed the wide receiver to a three-year, $25 million contract on Sunday.

Thielen’s production has dropped significantly in recent years. Few would suggest that he is among the elite WRs in the league. But this move is not a terrible one for either party and might make Thielen something of a bargain in fantasy in 2023.

2022 Review

2022 saw Thielen play a full season for the first time since 2018. He saw 107 targets for the Vikings, converting these into 70 receptions for 716 yards. He also notched six touchdowns. These figures are not, at first glance, the signs of a player dominating at his position. Thielen was 28th in targets and 29th in receptions and saw a whopping 41 other WRs amass more yards than him.

A look at the advanced metrics shows us that Thielen

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Neil Dutton

Lead Writer, soft spot for the tight end position. Will never stop loving Duke Johnson.

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