Adam Thielen Injury Update Improves Week 15 Fantasy Football Value

It looks like Adam Thielen is slated to make his long-awaited return in Week 15, just in time for the fantasy football semifinals.

Barring a setback in practice this week, Vikings’ WR Adam Thielen is expected to return to the lineup Sunday against the Chargers after missing the past four games due to a hamstring injury, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 11, 2019

Last season, Thielen finished as fantasy football's WR7 in standard scoring, totaling 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns on 113 receptions. That prompted his average draft position (ADP) to rise entering 2019, clocking in at WR10 this summer, according to FantasyPros.com.

He's only played in eight games this season — an obvious disappointment if you drafted him at his ADP — registering 27 catches for 391 yards and six touchdowns. Only six of those were full games though (he played fewer than 10 snaps when he got hurt in Week 7 and again when he first tried to return in Week 9), and in those six he averaged 16.5 PPR fantasy points per game.

If the hamstring woes are completely behind him, which they should be given the cautious approach the Vikings have taken, Thielen still draws a tough matchup against a Los Angeles Chargers team that is surrendering the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers.

*derwin james appreciation tweet* pic.twitter.com/x28OdIWhNI
— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) December 8, 2019

Given his setback against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 and the volatility of hamstring injuries, the team might look to ease Thielen back into action.

In any case, it looks Thielen should be ready to go in Week 15, but he'll be a bit of a boom-or-bust option in the fantasy football playoffs. We have Thielen at WR34 in our Week 15 fantasy football PPR rankings.

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