Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Adam Thielen missed last Thursday night's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers due to an ankle injury suffered in Week 13 against the Detroit Lions. However, there's some optimism that Thielen will be able to return for Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears to finish off Week 15.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer addressed Thielen's injury on Thursday, noting he's “hopeful” the wide receiver will be able to give it a go on Monday, per NFL.com. It's worth noting that the wideout didn't practice.

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Minnesota desperately needs to beat the lowly Bears in Chicago on Monday night. The Vikings are in the thick of the NFC playoff chase, sitting at 6-7 after the big win over Pittsburgh. While that has them just outside the playoff picture, Minnesota shares a 6-7 record with the seventh-seeded Washington Football Team and three other teams in the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

For insight on the Vikings' Week 15 matchup against the Bears, listen below:

Getting Thielen back would be a major boost for the Vikings' offense, which featured Dalvin Cook in a starring role last Thursday. Kirk Cousins struggled a bit against the Steelers with Thielen out of the lineup, so the wide receiver's presence would certainly help.

Thielen has 64 catches for 686 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this season. This is the second consecutive season with double-digit touchdowns. The Thielen-Justin Jefferson duo is one of the best in the NFL.