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Carolina Panthers vet named among top sleepers for 2025 NFL season

Wideout Adam Thielen is preparing for his third season with the Carolina Panthers. The 11-year pro may be a nice late-round pick in fantasy football drafts.
Russell Baxter|
Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) reacts to his touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) reacts to his touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

He missed a career-high seven games this past season. Still, wide receiver Adam Thielen has put together quite the resume in a combined 11 NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2014-22) and the Carolina Panthers. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Purple Gang, the former undrafted free agent from Minnesota State has totaled 685 receptions for 8,311 yards and 64 touchdowns in 162 regular-season contests.

Recently, Kacey Kasem of RotoBaller took a look at each team in the National Football Conference and came up with a breakout candidate or an undervalued sleepers when it came to fantasy football. When it came to Carolina, Kasem had the sure-handed pro on his mind.

“Last season, Adam Thielen averaged 14 PPR points per game and was WR12 in total points over the final seven weeks,” explained Kasem. “Despite Carolina’s many young wide receivers, Thielen should maintain a role as a trusted slot option. He’s a boring pick for managers wanting reliable depth in PPR formats. Boring is safe, and safe can be good. You might get just one more fantasy-relevant year out of Thielen, so grab him while he still produces.”

Adam Thielen
Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) is congratulated after he scored a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneersduring the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

In those aforementioned final seven contests, the 34-year-old wideout caught 40 passes for 506 yards and four scores. Keep in mind that despite missing all that time in 2024, Thielen finished second on the team with 48 grabs, and led the Panthers in receiving yards (615) and touchdown catches (5).

In his first season with the Panthers in 2023, the veteran wideout started all 17 games and totaled 103 receptions for 1,014 yards and four TDs. He’s reached the end zone at least four times in each of his last nine NFL seasons. He could certainly be worthy of a late-round pick.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.