AdamThielen

News: 3 hours agoThielen did not have a reception on two targets in Sunday's win over the Bengals. He had one dropped pass.

Spin: Thielen again got a start in a three-receiver set and played on 45 of the offense's 60 snaps, but wasn't a factor in the passing game. He's had a drop and another botched catch (he let a defender knock away an easily caught ball) among his five targets in thee games. He'll also likely move to a reserve role next week with Jordan Addison set to return from a suspension, making him a less enticing fantasy option.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Thielen, who was traded back to the Vikings in August, returns for his age-35 season, continuing to defy the odds and play productive football. Granted, he missed seven games in 2024, but Thielen remained Bryce Young's top target and posted his fourth top-25 fantasy campaign (PPG) in his past five seasons. He played his best ball late in the season, averaging 7.7 targets per game and producing at least 15 fantasy points in four of his final six outings. Thielen doesn't have a high ceiling and is likely to play a lesser role behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he's still a reliable target (he's finished third in catch rate two seasons in a row). That's enough to keep him in the flex discussion while Addison serves a three-game suspension to open the season.