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Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker Fantasy Value Rises After Adam Thielen Trade

Michael Fabiano

Adam Thielen has been traded back to the Minnesota Vikings after a deal with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday.
Adam Thielen has been traded back to the Minnesota Vikings after a deal with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Adam Thielen is going home.

The veteran wide receiver is heading back to the Minnesota Vikings, and I’d expect him to be in their starting lineup to open the season with Jordan Addison suspended three games and Jalen Nailor banged up. That makes Thielen worth a late rounder in fantasy drafts, but he’ll likely fall into a lesser role upon Addison’s return.

In Carolina, this move boosts the value of Jalen Coker, who figures to be the new starting slot man alongside perimeter receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette. He should now be on the radar in the later rounds. Thielen’s absence creates more targets for all the Panthers wideouts, so give McMillan and Legette a small boost.

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Michael Fabiano
MICHAEL FABIANO

Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. He is also the co-host of the Fantasy Dirt Podcast on SI. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.

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