WR · MIN · GWTTKB

Adam Thielen — fantasy football 2026

Every game, every stat category, and what the board says. 2.83 points per game in 2025, usage worth 4.2.

35 years old · 13 seasons of experience · 2013 draft class

Updated 2026-08-16 · free, no account, no paywall
Every figure below comes from our database. Where a stat is not held, the row is absent rather than zero.

The offense he plays in, 2026

Minnesota Vikings returns 5 of 6 continuity slots, replacing qb1. Kyler Murray at quarterback, Kevin O'Connell as head coach, Wes Phillips calling it. The offense projects to 32.6 pass attempts a game at medium confidence and 25 rushes.

In: Kyler Murray (qb), Dontae Fleming (wr5), Dillon Bell (wr7), Desmond Claiborne (rb3). Out: Carson Wentz (qb), Jalen Nailor (wr3), Adam Thielen (wr4).

The projected target split across the offense:

Justin Jefferson26.5%
Jordan Addison18.3%
TJ Hockenson16.6%
Aaron Jones9.8%
Tai Felton7.7%
Jordan Mason5.6%

Our written view on this offense in 2026

What the offense looks like: Jefferson and Addison have all the talent in the world they & KOC is an elite coach, but this team needs to feed them. This RB room struggled last year. Difficult to say if Aaron Jones & Jordan mason regressed or if teams just focused on stopping the run to force JJ McCarthy to throw them another Pick 6. Either way, running game has to get established in 2026. Likely a committee as Aaron Jones was expected to be cut but took a pay cut to come back.

Key additions: Kyler Murray QB from Cardinals (former 1st overall pick).

Key departures: Jalen Nailor WR3 left to Raiders in free agency. Pretty solid loss that opens up a decent target

Notes: Jefferson dynasty cornerstone regardless of QB. Vikings sign Kyler Murray from Cardinals who is looking to turn around career. Kyler will compete with McCarthy for QB1 spot but JJ Nine McCarthy is BOOTY CHEEKS, so Kyler will start & could elevate offense a lot. Jefferson long term value there regardless of QB, Addison is great WR but volume still isnt there, interesting buy if can get him for cheap. Aaron Jones may phase out and took a pay cut to stay. Mason is mid. Rookie RB Claiborne COULD build out a role if he can beat out Mason. Hockenson should be better than last year but his play has declined a lot.

How the volume number was reached: New QB Kyler Murray, avg 32 att/g over 2025,2024; Regressed 42% toward league mean 33.5, floored at 30 → 32.6 att/g.

Offensive environment: MIN rates 22.2 against a league average of 23, 0.8 below it on opponent-adjusted least squares (multi-capture merge).

2026 schedule

Opponent-adjusted pass defense faced, against 2025 ratings. Positive is an easier slate.

Full season+2.7 · easier
Weeks 1–6+3.1 · easier
Weeks 12–17+3.6 · easier
Fantasy playoffs (15–17)+12.3 · easier

Read this narrowly. Our own testing found that season-long strength of schedule does not survive as a draft input — defensive quality is among the least stable team properties year to year, and a preseason slate is built on last year's identities. The playoff-weeks column is the only one we would let break a tie, and even then it is a tiebreaker rather than a reason. The finding.

What happened when he missed time

From the absence record rather than a depth chart — who actually gained when he was out.

SeasonGames missedMain beneficiaryTheir PPR gain
20243Xavier Legette+4.5

Dynasty context not redraft

Everything in this section is about his dynasty trade value — what he is worth as a long-term asset in the trade market. It is not a forecast of his 2026 fantasy scoring. A player can be a fine redraft pick while his dynasty value falls, and the reverse. The redraft read is above; this is a different question with a different answer.

Where he sits in the dynasty value cycle

His dynasty value has moved -71.3% over the last twelve months. The market cycle classifies him as post-crash. The base rate that applies: after a -25% crash, WRs recover only 15% of the time (keep falling 85%).

For context on how long this lasts at the position: the average career at his position produces 2.1 elite seasons and 2.6 startable seasons.

The five most similar seasons, and what their dynasty value did next

Matched on production profile — production-driven (pedigree ignored). The last column is how that player’s dynasty value moved the following year — a market outcome, not a scoring one.

PlayerSeasonTheir PPGSimilarityNext year
Robert Woods20242.773%+13.5%
Kendrick Bourne20245.465%+36%
Hunter Renfrow20233.564%-46.5%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling20246.562%-42.7%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling20233.562%+32.9%

Of the 5 with a following season on record, 3 gained value, 2 lost it and 0 held roughly flat.

Four years of dynasty value

02,0004,0006,000202120222023202420252026
Monthly superflex value, 2020-04 to 2026-07. Down 91% across the series, peaking at 5,477.

The player

Availability and volatility

Career PPR per game11.9
Week-to-week variation0.7
Boom rate17.6%
Bust rate23.5%
Games missed per season0.7
Injury historyAnkle, Hamstring
Correlation between his posted line and his actual score-0.24

That correlation is how closely the books’ posted line tracked what he actually scored, week to week. A higher number means the market has him figured out and there is less to exploit; a lower one means his weeks are harder to price.

Injury type matters more than games missed. Measured across our injury database, knee and foot returns stay below a player’s pre-injury baseline for all three of the first games back, while hamstring returns over-recover by the third.

The record, season by season

2025 · MIN · 14 games

His best game was Week 16 against DET — 8.9 PPR on 4 targets and a 10.5% target share, in a game that finished 29-24. His worst was Week 12 against GB at 0, on 1 targets, final score 6-23. Across 14 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 13 times. In the 9 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 3.7; in the 5 decided by more, 1.3. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 4.2 points per game. He scored 2.83, 30.2% below it. The engine classified the season as very_unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1CHI27-24201005%57%
2ATL6-224.62326014.3%81%
3CIN48-10002008.3%75%
4PIT21-243.1221104.8%16%
7PHI22-282121005%12%
8LAC10-37002006.7%24%
10BAL19-273.6231607.3%14%
11CHI17-191.612606.3%15%
12GB6-23001005.6%7%
14BAL27-221.411403%48%
15MIA28-151.711703.7%58%
16DET29-248.94449010.5%43%
17CLE6-133.42514013.5%86%
18BAL26-247.33643013.6%67%

Production

Receptions19
Targets35
Receiving yards186
Touchdowns0
Points per game2.83
Yards per target5.31
Catch rate54.29%

Role

Snap share43.07%
Target share7.69%
Air-yards share8.48%
WOPR0.174
RACR0.649

Efficiency

Average depth of target9.5
Yards after catch per reception3.1
Yards before catch per reception7.5
Total YAC34
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted84.7
Receiving EPA per game0.37

Scoring position

Red-zone targets4
Red-zone target share5.2%
End-zone target share3.6%
Expected receiving TDs0.74
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck-0.74

Who else ate

The offense threw it 484 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Justin Jefferson30.26%
Jordan Addison16.95%
T.J. Hockenson14.16%
Jalen Nailor11.37%
Aaron Jones8.8%
Josh Oliver4.08%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 3 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
J.J. McCarthy9223.466.867.7%
Carson Wentz481.272.636.2%
Max Brosmer153.42.813.5%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 14 games were blowouts, 0% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 0 in those and 3.7 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2024 · CAR · 10 games

His best game was Week 17 against TB — 28 PPR on 6 targets and a 27.3% target share, in a game that finished 14-48. His worst was Week 2 against LAC at 4, on 3 targets, final score 3-26. Across 10 games he cleared 20 points 2 times and came in under 8 points 2 times. In the 5 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 15.3; in the 5 decided by more, 12.6. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 11 points per game. He scored 13.95, 26.9% above it. The engine classified the season as very_lucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1NO10-477.93449013.8%69%
2LAC3-2642320011.5%94%
3LV36-22133540113.5%31%
12KC27-308.73457012.1%61%
13TB23-2623.981099124.4%73%
14PHI16-2219.2911102033.3%75%
15DAL14-3010.15751025.9%85%
16ARI36-3015.35643125%59%
17TB14-482856110227.3%85%
18ATL44-389.45644017.1%76%

Production

Receptions48
Targets62
Receiving yards615
Touchdowns5
Points per game13.95
Yards per target9.92
Catch rate77.42%

Role

Snap share70.8%
Target share20.39%
Air-yards share24.44%
WOPR0.476
RACR0.944

Efficiency

Average depth of target11
Yards after catch per reception3.2
Yards before catch per reception9.6
Total YAC152
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted107.9
Receiving EPA per game4.04

Scoring position

Red-zone targets8
Red-zone target share10.3%
End-zone target share11.1%
Expected receiving TDs1.48
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck0.52

Who else ate

The offense threw it 545 times. He took 11.99% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Xavier Legette16.25%
Adam Thielen 11.99%
Diontae Johnson11.22%
David Moore11.03%
Chuba Hubbard10.44%
Jalen Coker8.9%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Bryce Young95714.0610.0921.16%
Andy Dalton1513813.5%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 10 games were blowouts, 28.6% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 13.3 in those and 15.3 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2023 · CAR · 17 games

His best game was Week 3 against SEA — 31.5 PPR on 14 targets and a 24.6% target share, in a game that finished 27-37. His worst was Week 12 against TEN at 1.2, on 3 targets, final score 10-17. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 4 times and came in under 8 points 5 times. In the 8 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 11.4; in the 9 decided by more, 15.5. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 13.8 points per game. He scored 13.59, 1.9% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1ATL10-243.2221206.5%88%
2NO17-2020.47954129%87%
3SEA27-3731.51114145124.6%92%
4MIN13-2115.27876025.8%90%
5DET24-4227.71113107137.1%97%
6MIA21-4228.51113115137.1%81%
8HOU15-1315.281172035.5%97%
9IND13-277.95629016.2%100%
10CHI13-1610.261042029.4%100%
11DAL10-3315.481174042.3%90%
12TEN10-171.2132012.5%89%
13TB18-215.53625023.1%89%
14NO6-2812.45774021.9%81%
15ATL9-78.34743030.4%95%
16GB30-3315.46894025%88%
17JAX0-269.86638019.4%93%
18TB0-93.22312016.7%92%

Production

Receptions103
Targets137
Receiving yards1,014
Carries1
Rushing yards6
Touchdowns4
Points per game13.59
Yards per target7.4
Catch rate75.18%
Yards per carry6

Role

Snap share91.12%
Target share25.44%
Air-yards share23.71%
WOPR0.548
RACR1.008

Efficiency

Average depth of target7.5
Yards after catch per reception3.3
Yards before catch per reception6.5
Total YAC345
Broken tackles2
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted102.3
Receiving EPA per game3.57
Rushing EPA per game0.01

Scoring position

Red-zone targets15
Red-zone target share36.6%
End-zone target share33.3%
Red-zone carry share1.6%
Expected receiving TDs3.88
Actual receiving TDs4
Receiving TD luck0.12
Expected rushing TDs0.05

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game24 of 51
Yards per target38 of 51
Target share16 of 51
Air-yards share39 of 51

Who else ate

The offense threw it 585 times. He took 25.66% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Adam Thielen 25.66%
Jonathan Mingo15.92%
D.J. Chark12.36%
Chuba Hubbard8.24%
Miles Sanders7.68%
Terrace Marshall6.18%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Bryce Young1612312.477.0725.49%
Andy Dalton11431.510.3624.6%

Blowouts against close games

5 of his 17 games were blowouts, 40.6% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 18.76 in those and 11.43 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2022 · MIN · 17 games

His best game was Week 12 against NE — 21.1 PPR on 10 targets and a 27% target share, in a game that finished 33-26. His worst was Week 16 against NYG at 1.6, on 5 targets, final score 27-24. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 6 times. In the 11 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 11.7; in the 6 decided by more, 8.6. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 10.5 points per game. He scored 10.59, 0.9% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1GB23-76.63436012.9%95%
2PHI7-249.24752015.6%97%
3DET28-2418.16861121.6%97%
4NO28-2515.28972025.7%97%
5CHI29-226.74727017.9%96%
6MIA24-1615.64836128.6%87%
8ARI34-2612.76767022.6%87%
9WAS20-179.73767017.9%94%
10BUF33-309.95749014%94%
11DAL3-404.52325010.7%77%
12NE33-2621.191061127%93%
13NYJ27-224.72627018.2%87%
14DET23-3419.57865120%94%
15IND39-3613.1344117.4%90%
16NYG27-241.6156010.6%92%
17GB17-412.61416011.4%84%
18CHI29-139.223819.4%52%

Production

Receptions70
Targets107
Receiving yards716
Carries1
Rushing yards4
Touchdowns6
Points per game10.59
Yards per target6.69
Catch rate65.42%
Yards per carry4

Role

Snap share89%
Target share17.15%
Air-yards share21.69%
WOPR0.41
RACR0.72

Efficiency

Average depth of target9.7
Yards after catch per reception2.2
Yards before catch per reception8.1
Total YAC152
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted91.5
Receiving EPA per game0.66
Rushing EPA per game-0.01

Scoring position

Red-zone targets22
Red-zone target share19.5%
End-zone target share21.6%
Expected receiving TDs5.61
Actual receiving TDs5
Receiving TD luck-0.61

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game39 of 51
Yards per target46 of 51
Target share41 of 51
Air-yards share43 of 51

Who else ate

The offense threw it 670 times. He took 17.01% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Justin Jefferson29.25%
Adam Thielen 17.01%
K.J. Osborn14.31%
T.J. Hockenson13.67%
Dalvin Cook8.9%
Irv Smith5.72%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 17 games were blowouts, 9.1% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 5.43 in those and 11.67 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2021 · MIN · 13 games

His best game was Week 1 against CIN — 30.2 PPR on 10 targets and a 21.3% target share, in a game that finished 24-27. His worst was Week 13 against DET at 1, on 2 targets, final score 27-29. Across 13 games he cleared 20 points 4 times and came in under 8 points 4 times.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 12.7 points per game. He scored 15.37, 21.4% above it. The engine classified the season as lucky. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 9 against 4.22 expected, a gap of 4.8.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1CIN24-2730.291092221.3%94%
2ARI33-3415.96739121.9%100%
3SEA30-17176950123.7%96%
4CLE7-147.63846022.2%99%
5DET19-176234009.7%93%
6CAR34-2829.81113126128.9%98%
8DAL16-2019.86978127.3%98%
9BAL31-348.6276125%89%
10LAC27-2011.55765020%90%
11GB34-3122.281082129.4%94%
12SF26-3423.25762221.9%96%
13DET27-29112004.9%8%
16LA23-307334008.6%37%

Production

Receptions67
Targets95
Receiving yards726
Carries1
Rushing yards2
Touchdowns10
Points per game15.37
Yards per target7.64
Catch rate70.53%
Yards per carry2

Role

Snap share84%
Target share20.37%
Air-yards share24.99%
WOPR0.48
RACR0.841

Efficiency

Average depth of target9.5
Yards after catch per reception3.6
Yards before catch per reception7.3
Total YAC239
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted119
Receiving EPA per game1.85
Rushing EPA per game-0.01

Scoring position

Red-zone targets15
Red-zone target share19.2%
End-zone target share22.2%
Expected receiving TDs4.22
Actual receiving TDs9
Receiving TD luck4.78

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game15 of 48
Yards per target33 of 48
Target share29 of 48
Air-yards share35 of 48

Who else ate

The offense threw it 604 times. He took 16.99% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Justin Jefferson29.87%
Adam Thielen 16.99%
Tyler Conklin15.56%
K.J. Osborn14.67%
Dalvin Cook8.77%
Alexander Mattison6.98%

2020 · MIN · 15 games

His best game was Week 11 against DAL — 32.3 PPR on 11 targets and a 39.3% target share, in a game that finished 28-31. His worst was Week 8 against GB at 5.7, on 4 targets, final score 28-22. Across 15 games he cleared 20 points 7 times and came in under 8 points 4 times. In the 9 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 18.5; in the 6 decided by more, 14.6. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 13 points per game. He scored 16.93, 30.5% above it. The engine classified the season as very_lucky. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 13 against 6.61 expected, a gap of 6.4.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsTDTgt%Snap%
1GB34-433168110232%96%
2IND11-286.13831034.8%89%
3TEN30-3112.33529120%94%
4HOU31-2326.2810114147.6%88%
5SEA26-2729.391380234.2%93%
6ATL23-4014.13551114.3%93%
8GB28-225.73427028.6%90%
9DET34-205.82538025%86%
10CHI19-1320.34743221.9%97%
11DAL28-3132.3811123239.3%88%
13JAX27-2421.581175127.5%91%
14TB14-266.93439011.4%90%
15CHI27-339.12311110%94%
16NO33-5223.78997123.7%88%
17DET37-359.74557013.2%95%

Production

Receptions74
Targets108
Receiving yards925
Carries3
Rushing yards15
Touchdowns14
Points per game16.93
Yards per target8.56
Catch rate68.52%
Yards per carry5

Role

Snap share91.47%
Target share25.57%
Air-yards share32.73%
WOPR0.612
RACR0.977

Efficiency

Average depth of target11.5
Yards after catch per reception3.3
Yards before catch per reception9.2
Total YAC243
Broken tackles2
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted119
Receiving EPA per game3.08

Scoring position

Red-zone targets20
Red-zone target share32.3%
End-zone target share48.5%
Red-zone carry share1%
Expected receiving TDs6.61
Actual receiving TDs13
Receiving TD luck6.39
Expected rushing TDs0.13

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 80+ targets pool that season:

Points per game10 of 51
Yards per target21 of 51
Target share11 of 51
Air-yards share13 of 51

Who else ate

The offense threw it 516 times. He took 22.88% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Justin Jefferson26.48%
Adam Thielen 22.88%
Dalvin Cook11.44%
Irv Smith9.11%
Kyle Rudolph7.84%
Chad Beebe6.36%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 15 games were blowouts, 17.3% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 14.63 in those and 18.49 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

Ask the Coach about Adam Thielen →
All player profiles · 2026 rankings · Research findings · Methodology
GWTTKB publishes research and education. Nothing here is betting advice.