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This was actually reported yesterday during the lead-up to the Minnesota Vikings’ game against the Detroit Lions, but we decided to wait until after the game to put it out there.
This came from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network:
#Vikings WR Adam Thielen (hamstring) is not playing today as he fights to get the scar tissue out of his leg. But all parties are optimistic he can be on the field next week. No extended absence expected.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 8, 2019
Rapoport is reporting that “all parties” are “optimistic” that wide receiver Adam Thielen will be able to make his return to the Vikings’ offense when Minnesota travels to take on the Los Angeles Chargers this coming Sunday.
Thielen injured his hamstring in the Vikings’ victory over the Lions back in Week 7, and has missed six of the seven games the Vikings have played since then. The one game that Thielen did suit up for saw him only play one series before he was removed for the remainder of the game.
While the Minnesota offense has continued to get the job done without Thielen being in the lineup. . .they’ve averaged 24.5 points a game since he’s been out in addition to putting up 35 points in that Lions game following his injury. . .it would obviously be a huge benefit to the Vikings’ lineup to get him back into the fold. Despite not having played for the better part of the last seven weeks, he’s still tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with six (the same as Kyle Rudolph), and gives the Vikings an incredibly reliable target to take some of the heat off of Stefon Diggs.
Just as we have every week since his injury, we will continue to monitor Adam Thielen’s status and hope that this is the week that he will finally get back into the lineup with the Vikings still fighting for a playoff spot in the NFC.