Adam Thielen Week 12 waiver wire fantasy outlook: Should I add Panthers WR?
Adam Thielen appeared in the first three games of the 2024 fantasy football season with the Carolina Panthers before suffering an injury. He has yet to play since then, but following their bye week, he is expected to return in Week 12. This makes him an interesting waiver wire target this week, especially considering his strong performance last year.
Adam Thielen waiver wire fantasy outlook for Week 12
Adam Thielen joined the Carolina Panthers last year after previously spending a decade with the Minnesota Vikings. He turned in a relatively solid fantasy football season, finishing as the overall WR25. This was his best overall finish in his previous three years and his best receiving production across his past five seasons.
The veteran's impressive first campaign with his new team included 103 receptions on 137 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. This was just the second time in his career that he exceeded 100 receptions and only the third time that he recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards.
His strong performance with the Panthers made him an attractive target in fantasy drafts for the 2024 season, but an injury has limited him to just three games. He has recorded just eight receptions on 12 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown this year, but he is reportedly expected to return in Week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
His solid fantasy football season last year, paired with the fact that the Panthers offense lacks reliable weapons, make Thielen an intriguing target on the Week 12 waiver wire. He may realistically move back into the WR1 role upon his return, especially after Carolina traded away Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo.
If he can resume that role, Adam Thielen can provide excellent fantasy value. He finished just outside of the WR2 range in fantasy football last year, so he can be a useful addition for the stretch run leading into the fantasy playoffs. He also gets the luxury of continuity at quarterback, as he already played with Bryce Young last year.
Managers looking for help at the wide receiver position should add Thielen this week. He has more upside than the majority of the other viable options. He may be heavily targeted, like Johnson was before being moved this season, because the Panthers have one of the poorest wide receiver corps in the NFL right now.