Year by year, Adam Thielen is turning into one of the most reliable receivers in the NFL. He has played five seasons in Minnesota. In 2016, Thielen finished with 967 yards. The following season, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. Last season, the Minnesota State product had a true breakout season.
In 2018, Adam Thielen caught 113 passes for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns. He started the season with eight straight 100-yard receiving games. In those eight games, Thielen had 10 or more catches three times and scored a touchdown in six of them. Thielen thrived with Kirk Cousins during his first season in Minnesota. There is no reason to think that the Vikings' offense will not improve in Year 2. This will give Thielen more opportunities.
With Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph, and Dalvin Cook on offense, there is plenty of protection for Thielen as he avoids double-teams. Fantasy owners should prepare for Thielen to have a monster year. Here are three numbers that could be within reach for Thielen.
1. 143 Receptions
Yes, this is the NFL record for catches in a single season held by Marvin Harrison. He has a 20-catch lead over Herman Moore. This may seem like an unreachable mark, but records are meant to be broken. To reach 143 catches, a receiver must average 8.9 catches per game while playing all 16 games.
In the first eight games of 2018, Adam Thielen had 74 catches. This averaged out to 9.25 catches per game. He was unable to keep up this pace; he had 20 catches over the final five games of the season. Thielen is the ultimate possession receiver. At 6'2 and 200 pounds, he does not use his size to bully defenders. Instead, Thielen gets past corners with his excellent route running and sneaky speed. While it seems hard to reach, Thielen has a true chance to reach the rare mark of 140 catches.
2. 10 Touchdowns
Adam Thielen scored the most touchdowns in his career last season. He failed to reach the double-digit mark, however. While Thielen has reached elite levels already, he can solidify his spot among the top receivers with a 10-touchdown season. Both Thielen and Diggs finished with nine touchdowns in 2018. This was tied for 10th in the NFL. With Cousins under center for his second season in Minnesota and Gary Kubiak as their offensive advisor, the Vikings' offense will be strong.
There were nine receivers with 10 or more touchdowns last season. Of those nine receivers, five of them also had 1,000 yards. This is the exclusive list Thielen can join in 2019.
3. 10 Targets Per Game
There is no reason why Thielen should be targeted under 10 times per game. This is another number that is hard to reach every game over the course of 16; however, it should be more than last season. In 2018, Thielen had double-digit targets nine times. In those games, the Vikings were 4-4-1.
Minnesota has the luxury of having many talented skill position players. Diggs and Thielen form one of the best receiving duos in the league. With that being said, Thielen is the leader, and he fits the best with Cousins. Thielen is the receiver with the best hands on the team; he also runs the best routes. If the Vikings are going to bounce back in 2019, they will have to target Thielen on a regular basis.
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