Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Adam Thielen earned just one target in Week 14 but could be in line for additional opportunities against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. Thielen surprisingly logged the second-most snaps of any Steelers receiver in his debut with the team last week, trailing only DK Metcalf. With Calvin Austin III (calf) popping up on the injury report late in the week, Thielen could emerge as the unquestioned WR2 in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Still, this isn't a particularly easy matchup, as the Dolphins are surrendering the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts this season. He can't be trusted to provide consistent fantasy value down the stretch, but Thielen's role and developing chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers are worth monitoring in deeper leagues.
Dec 13, 2025 12:34 PM EST
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen are active for Sunday's Week 14 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Both players are making their team debuts. Valdes-Scantling was signed from the Steelers' practice squad earlier this week after previously playing for the Buffalo Bills. In five games with Buffalo, he caught four of his eight targets for 40 yards. Meanwhile, Thielen was claimed off waivers after he and the Minnesota Vikings mutually agreed to part ways. The 35-year-old had caught just eight passes through 11 games. He is one year removed from a solid 2024 campaign with the Carolina Panthers in which he caught 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns. Neither player is much of a hot commodity in fantasy football, but they both have the potential to carve out significant roles. After all, the Steelers have been underwhelmed by the wide receiver position across the entire depth chart, including receivers DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III, and could be looking for meaningful contributions from new faces.
Dec 7, 2025 12:53 PM EST
Former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The 35-year-old was traded to Minnesota from the Carolina Panthers before the start of the regular season, but things didn't pan out in his return to Minnesota, as he was ultimately released following Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks after being a healthy inactive for the first time this season in Week 13. Thielen recorded just eight receptions for 69 yards on 18 targets in 11 games with the Vikings, but he now lands with a Steelers team that needs help at the wide receiver position. D.K. Metcalf leads Pittsburgh with 605 receiving yards, but no other Pittsburgh pass-catcher is above 300 yards. Thielen could immediately slot in as the No. 2 wide receiver, but he isn't worth fantasy consideration at this time, outside of deeper leagues.
Dec 2, 2025 4:30 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday that they have waived wide receiver Adam Thielen. The 35-year-old wideout's role on offense in Minnesota had been dropping since their bye back in Week 6. The Vikings will now part ways with Thielen after they made him a healthy scratch for Sunday's blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13. With Thielen out of the picture for the rest of the year in a lost season for the Vikings, it will give Tai Felton and Myles Price more chances to contribute as depth options behind Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jalen Nailor. However, with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) injured and struggling mightily in what is essentially his rookie season, all of Minnesota's pass-catchers have taken a big hit to their fantasy stock in 2025. In 11 games back with the Vikes this year, Thielen only produced eight catches on 18 targets for 69 yards and no touchdowns.
Dec 1, 2025 12:35 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is a healthy inactive for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Vikings acquired Thielen and a 5th-round pick for a 4th and 5th-round pick before the start of the regular season, but the veteran has not made an impact, recording just eight catches for 69 yards on 18 targets in 11 games. The 35-year-old hasn't played more than 14 snaps in a game this Week 3 and for the first time this season, Thielen will be inactive despite being healthy. Jailen Nailor and rookie Tai Felton will likely see increases in opportunities in Week 13 against the Seahawks.
Nov 30, 2025 4:00 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen should be kept out of starting lineups when his team takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Ireland. Now that receiver Jordan Addison (suspension) is back in the fold, Thielen is likely to see a significant decrease in snaps. Even with high snap rates in the first three weeks, Thielen caught a meager two passes. At this point, it's fair to wonder if he'll earn more snaps or targets than fellow receiver Jalen Nailor, to say nothing of Addison, top receiver Justin Jefferson, and tight end T.J. Hockenson. Given his lack of production and his situation on the depth chart, Thielen can be sent to waiver wires in standard redraft leagues.
Sep 26, 2025 4:50 PM EST
Coming off two poor offensive weeks, things look even worse for the Minnesota Vikings and wide receiver Adam Thielen in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals. While the Bengals' secondary is normally a green-light matchup for receivers, the surrounding circumstances for the Vikings are not good. If starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee), who is questionable on the injury report, is not ready to return from ACL rehab, the Vikings will be down to a third-string left tackle in addition to a backup quarterback and a first-time starter at center. For a team already allowing an NFL worst 18% sack rate, there is no reason to put any faith in a second-rate passing game if a manager has any other options.
Sep 19, 2025 7:42 PM EST
Starting Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen on Sunday would be a bet that he can recapture the magic in his first game back in Minnesota since being reacquired in a trade with Carolina, albeit one that comes with heavy risk. The Minnesota offense was brutal for three quarters in Week 1, though the Vikings did mount a dramatic comeback and go to the veteran for a key two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. However, Thielen played 57% of offensive snaps and drew only one target, which he dropped. Thielen figures to improve on the number of targets in Week 2, especially with Jordan Addison (suspension) still out, but he'll likely be in a secondary role and still attached to a first-time starter at quarterback. He should be saved for deeper formats only.
Sep 12, 2025 5:25 PM EST
Wide receiver Adam Thielen is a risky fantasy proposition in his return to the Minnesota Vikings, who will take on the Chicago Bears in this season's first Monday Night Football game. The Vikings traded for the veteran due to instability elsewhere in their receiver room, as Jordan Addison (suspension) will miss the first three games and Rondale Moore (knee) suffered a season-ending injury. The 35-year-old figures to play quite a bit right away, but the reality is that he was a late addition who is still behind receiver Justin Jefferson and likely tight end T.J. Hockenson in the pecking order, and he's attached to a quarterback in J.J. McCarthy who has never thrown a pass in the NFL before. Thielen certainly has something left in the tank and a history of making big catches, but an uncertain target share makes him tough to rely upon in Week 1.
Sep 6, 2025 3:43 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen spent part of the offseason training with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, logging 6-8 throwing sessions together before his late-August trade back to Minnesota for a fifth-round pick. The 35-year-old veteran is eager to contribute, saying he's "excited to be a part of (McCarthy's) journey." With Jordan Addison suspended to start the season, Thielen is projected to open as the WR2 in Week 1 against the division-rival Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. It's not the friendliest matchup, as Chicago allowed the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024, but Thielen's expanded role and early chemistry with McCarthy give him a path to targets.
Sep 6, 2025 11:26 AM EST
Recently traded wide receiver Adam Thielen could start right away for the Minnesota Vikings, according to an article from ESPN's Kevin Seifert. The Vikings saw good news Sunday with a report that Jalen Nailor (hand) is progressing toward playing in Week 1, but still could turn to the veteran to start when the season begins. Thielen just arrived in Minnesota, but isn't the typical 11th-hour acquisition given that he played in Kevin O'Connell's offense in 2022 and worked out with quarterback J.J. McCarthy this summer. Fantasy-wise, he'll have his most appeal in the early weeks before Jordan Addison (suspension) returns to the lineup.
Aug 31, 2025 2:54 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton had a chance to make an early-season impact, but that is seemingly out the door with the addition of Adam Thielen. The Vikings brought back the 35-year-old earlier this week to shore up depth concerns at the position. Jordan Addison (suspension) will miss the first three games of the season, and Jalen Nailor (hand) is a question mark for Week 1. If Nailor is active on game day, Felton is, at best, the fourth wide receiver in the rotation. The third-round pick will fall further down the depth chart when Addison's ban is lifted. Minnesota has largely had a concentrated passing attack when all options are healthy, so it's unlikely Felton will make any noticeable impact in 2025. He can stay off draft boards in redraft formats.
Aug 31, 2025 11:56 AM EST
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Minnesota Vikings have reworked veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen's contract. Pelissero notes that the 35-year-old's salary will be cut by $2 million, while $4 million in incentives will be removed. It was seemingly never about the money for Thielen, who returns to the team that took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent back in 2013. The Minnesota State alum missed a good chunk of time during 2024 with a hamstring strain, but averaged 72.3 receiving yards per game from Weeks 12 to 18 when he was healthy. That includes two 100-yard efforts and one more just shy of that (99). Thielen projects to play a sizable role in the offense while teammate Jordan Addison serves his three-game suspension to start the year. Still, his production could be volatile with the unknown variable of second-year signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.
Aug 30, 2025 11:42 AM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are trading for their own former star wide receiver, Adam Thielen, Ian Rapoport reports. Carolina receives a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick, and Minnesota gets Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick, and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Thielen gets to return home, as not only did he spend nine years with the Vikings from 2014 to 2022, but he is also from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and attended Minnesota State University, Mankato. Although at 35 years old and perhaps a few steps slower than he was a handful of years ago, Thielen still produced at a reasonably high level in 2023 and 2024, where he had 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 48 receptions in 2024 and 1,015 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 103 receptions in 2023. Thielen will join a somewhat depleted receiver room with Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games, Rondale Moore out for the season (knee), Tai Felton (arm), and Jalen Nailor (hand). Thielen should produce early on, and his fantasy value is expected to increase with the move to a more explosive offense. Thielen also played alongside Justin Jefferson from 2020 to 2022 and scored 30 touchdowns during those three seasons.
Aug 27, 2025 10:17 AM EST
The Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers continue to engage in trade discussions surrounding veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, but the two sides are struggling to agree on compensation, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. As it stands, there seems to be a significant gap between the Vikings and Panthers, which means Thielen remains in Carolina for the time being. The veteran has remained quite productive in his mid-30s, totalling 151 catches, 1,619 yards, and nine touchdowns over his last two seasons (27 games). However, his role is likely to decrease in 2025 with young receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette continuing to trend upward. That made him a perfect trade candidate this summer, and Minnesota represents a fantastic landing spot. Not only did Thielen spend the first nine years of his career with the Vikings, but Minnesota also has a gaping hole at the No. 2 wide receiver position with Jordan Addison (suspension) and Jalen Nailor (hand) sidelined. If he were to return to the Vikings, Thielen would immediately slot in as the No. 2 wide receiver behind Justin Jefferson, and the team could continue to deploy him in three-receiver sets even after Addison returns. However, none of that can happen if the two sides remain locked in a stalemate. It remains to be seen whether either team will budge in their compensation demands as Week 1 draws closer.
Aug 25, 2025 11:17 PM EST
Josina Anderson reports that a trade between the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings involving veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen is "not likely, at this point," according to a league source. Thielen is in the last year of a three-year, $25 million contract and wouldn't command top-tier money, but the Panthers apparently want to keep the 11-year veteran around for receiver depth. The 35-year-old spent the first nine years of his NFL career with the Vikings and is a Minnesota native. The Vikings are in th market for a veteran pass-catcher with Jordan Addison set to be suspended for the first three games of the 2025 season, while they are also dealing with injuries to Jalen Nailor and Rondale Moore (out for the year). A move to Minneota would probably be much better for Thielen's fantasy value this year, as he'll likely be the WR3 in Carolina behind rookie Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette.
Aug 22, 2025 7:06 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings have interest in acquiring veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen from the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Minnesota's receiving corps is thin to open the season, with Jordan Addison facing a three-game suspension and Jalen Nailor (hand) battling injury. Thielen spent the first nine years of his career in Minnesota before signing with Carolina prior to the start of the 2023 season. The 35-year-old remained a productive player in 2024, recording 48 catches for 615 yards and five touchdowns across ten games. If acquired by Minnesota, Thielen would likely be the team's WR2 until Addison returns. His fantasy profile could benefit in the short term from a move to the Vikings, but Thielen's season-long outlook would suffer once Addison pushes him to the WR3 role.
Aug 22, 2025 10:23 AM EST
Carolina Panthers veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he talked with his family, and they wanted him to play in 2025. He plans to go through a similar process after this season, which is the final year of his contract. Depending on how the 34-year-old feels and what his family thinks after the 2025 campaign, Thielen could hang up his cleats and retire. He's returning for a third season in Carolina after playing in a career-low 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury. In those 10 games, he caught 48 of his 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns. He should continue to be a trusted weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young out of the slot this year, but the addition of first-round rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan will surely make Thielen harder to trust as a WR3/flex in fantasy based on volume alone like he was in 2023, when he recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career on 103 targets.
May 2, 2025 12:02 PM EST
Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen will officially return for a 12th NFL season in 2025 after agreeing to a a revised contract with the Carolina Panthers, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Thielen will now look to add to his 8,311 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career. The 34-year-old veteran wideout briefly contemplated retirement after the 2024 season but isn't quite ready to hang up his cleats after catching 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns in a career-low 10 starts last year. A hamstring injury cost him seven games, but he still managed to lead the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. Thielen had a strong 103-1,014-4 line in 17 starts in 2023 in his first year in Carolina and has developed a strong chemistry with young quarterback Bryce Young. He's definitely an injury risk in fantasy, but when healthy, he should have a decent target floor as a WR4/flex in weekly fantasy lineups.
Mar 12, 2025 10:40 PM EST
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has led the team in receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, yet his $8.3 million annual average salary ranks 37th among all wideouts. The 34-year-old posted a 1,000-yard campaign in 2023 before a 615-yard season in just 10 games in 2024. The veteran is reportedly wanting a new deal, but the organization is unlikely to extend him long-term due to his age. However, Joseph Person of The Athletic said the team could offer him a pay bump in the form of converting his per-game bonuses into more guaranteed money. While Thielen is past his prime, he's been a valuable weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young on a team that is lacking high-end pass catchers.
Feb 18, 2025 1:57 PM EST
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