Amidst a shocking, puke-worthy throttling by the Buffalo Bills, Vikings WR Adam Thielen hauled in an absurd 14-of-19 targets for 105 yards. Thielen’s now seen at least 12 targets in three straight games, and leads the NFL with 44 looks thus far. Though we originally feared Stefon Diggs would surpass Thielen as the passing-game engine, the slot dynamo has clearly held strong; Diggs disappeared even in catch-up mode, hauling in only 4-of-10 targets for 17 yards. Thielen’s 32 receptions and 338 yards currently trail only Michael Thomas, and he’s shaping up as a highly reliable weekly WR1.
Though Diggs still brings the scoring “sizzle” to the Vikings passing game, it’s Thielen who’s bringing the steady, every-week steak. He continues to dominate out of the slot, where he led the NFL in 2017 target-share, which he currently owns for 2018 as well far. Kirk Cousins did lock onto Jamison Crowder last year, targeting him on 24% of Washington’s third downs (slightly below Thielen’s 32%) — and Thielen is far more dominant of a talent.
Indeed, both Diggs and Thielen are Fantasy WR1s. Yet, whereas Diggs’ early preseason dominance suggested he’d ascend to the top of this target totem pole, Thielen has once again proven to be the most consistent weapon. With a more reliable floor and a similar ceiling, Thielen should surpass Diggs, albeit just slightly, on Season Long Big Boards.
