Adam Thielen DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen has led the team in receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, yet his $8.3 million annual average salary ranks 37th among all wideouts. The 34-year-old posted a 1,000-yard campaign in 2023 before a 615-yard season in just 10 games in 2024. The veteran is reportedly wanting a new deal, but the organization is unlikely to extend him long-term due to his age. However, Joseph Person of The Athletic said the team could offer him a pay bump in the form of converting his per-game bonuses into more guaranteed money. While Thielen is past his prime, he's been a valuable weapon for young quarterback Bryce Young on a team that is lacking high-end pass catchers.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Carolina Panthers want veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen back for the 2025 campaign. Thielen hinted that he would contemplate retirement this offseason, but he recently said that he has decided to come back for another season. The 34-year-old veteran is due for more than $6 million in overall payout in the final year of his deal, but the two sides could renegotiate on a new one-year contract or extension. Fowler gets the sense that the Panthers don't plan to release Thielen. The two-time Pro Bowler played in just 10 games in 2024 due to a hamstring injury and finished with a 48-615-5 line on 62 targets. Thielen did have over 1,000 receiving yards in his first year in Carolina in 2023 and has plenty of chemistry with rising young quarterback Bryce Young. The upside is limited, but fantasy managers shouldn't discount his rapport with Young if he stays with the Panthers.

ESPN's David Newton reports that Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen plans to play in 2025. Thielen said at the end of the 2024 regular season that he was contemplating retirement, but after hinting toward a return recently, it appears that he will indeed return to the team next season. The 34-year-old veteran pass-catcher has one year left on the three-year, $25 million contract he signed with Carolina before the 2023 campaign. The two-time Pro Bowler had the third 1,000-yard receiving season of his career in his first year with the Panthers but regressed to 615 receiving yards and 48 receptions in 2024, although he also played in a career-low-tying 10 games due to a hamstring injury. Thielen won't be an upside target in fantasy, but his chemistry with young quarterback Bryce Young should not be discounted as a flex option in 2025.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said after the 2024 regular season that he planned on evaluating his future this offseason before committing to a return for a 12th year in the NFL. Thielen was limited to 10 games last season due to injuries, but it sounds like he's leaning toward returning in 2025 for another season. "Yeah, I think I still have some more football in me. We'll see how that plays out in the next few weeks," Thielen said. The 34-year-old pass-catcher is a two-time Pro Bowler who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings before signing a three-year, $25 million deal with Carolina in 2023. Despite a tough two seasons with the Panthers, Thielen admits quarterback Bryce Young's improvement last year and head coach Dave Canales have been important in his decision-making progress. Although he played in only 10 games in 2024, he did average 12.8 yards per catch.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he will go through his normal process and evaluate whether he wants to continue his playing career this offseason. Thielen said he's leaning in a certain direction, "but I'm not going to tell you what that is." If the Panthers choose to do so, they can cut the 34-year-old with only a $5 million dead salary cap hit to get out of the final year of his deal. He missed time in 2024 due to a hamstring injury that landed him on Injured Reserve, but Thielen was productive when healthy as quarterback Bryce Young's favorite target, catching 48 passes on 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns in 10 starts. Staying in Carolina is the likely outcome if Thielen chooses to play another season. His chemistry with Young would give him a solid fantasy floor as a flex, depending on what the rest of the WR room looks like in 2025.