Advanced stats show Panthers vet Adam Thielen still one of NFL's most-underrated WRs

Adam Thielen isn't very flashy at all. The Carolina Panthers' veteran wideout has always been a crisp route runner with excellent hands, but he's never been one to make it all about himself. That's perhaps led to him being overlooked throughout his career.

During his prime seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Thielen was one of the best in the NFL. He racked up 1,276 yards and four touchdowns in 2017, then went for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. Now with the Panthers, he's still been an impactful player, but at 35 years of age, he's been criminally overlooked.

Thielen recorded 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. He followed that up with 615 yards and five touchdowns last season, while missing seven games due to injury. Perhaps due to his missed time and age, Thielen has now become an afterthought with the addition of Tetaroia McMillan. Thielen has even been linked to the Vikings in a trade, as they need someone to help fill the void left by Jordan Addison's suspension.

Carolina might want to think twice about making a move, because advanced statistics show that he's still an excellent player. He's even coming off one of the highest analytical scores of his career.

Make no mistake about it, Adam Thielen is still a very good player. https://t.co/mSfUv3Ybkm pic.twitter.com/5NIzjvoo75
— Jake Cardonick (@JakeCar120) August 22, 2025

Carolina expects McMillan to be their WR1 and they would love to see Xavier Legette take his next step. That doesn't mean they should be in a hurry to move on from Thielen, who still has plenty to offer.

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