Week 1 game day status: Thielen is officially ACTIVE on Sunday. He will make his debut with his new team.
DJ Chark out for the Panthers in openerhttps://t.co/MwV0qMrrkL
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 10, 2023
Sunday, Sept. 10 AM Update: Thielen is expected to play on Sunday. Teammate DJ Chark has already been ruled out, so the veteran wideout’s presence on Sunday would give a reliable option to rookie quarterback Bryce Young making his debut.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen is expected to play tomorrow vs. Falcons despite ankle injury, per sources.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 9, 2023
Carolina star pass rusher Brian Burns is also making the trip with team to Atlanta for Sunday’s game amid lingering contract dispute, per source.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen is officially listed as questionable on the Week 1 injury report. The veteran wideout is dealing with what’s listed as an ankle injury. His name popped up on the injury list on Wednesday, with the team listing him as a limited participant in practice. He sat the next day, but practiced again on Friday, again with the limited tag.
We may have to wait until Sunday morning before we get confirmation about Thielen’s status for Sunday’s road game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers could be especially thin at receiver for this one; DJ Chark was ruled out on Friday.
Adam Thielen injury status: Betting and DFS implications for Week 1
Heading into the season, Thielen is expected by many to lead the Panthers’ in targets, acting as the top option for rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Without him and Chark on the field, rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, a second-round pick out of Mississippi, and Terrance Marshall would most likely see more targets.
Already 3.5-point underdogs, the Panthers face an even tougher challenge if Thielen can’t go this week. His absence would certainly make us more skeptical of taking them to cover. Without him, it would also make it more difficult to hit the over on the 39.5 projected point total in this one.
The uncertainty around Thielen’s status makes it harder to lean on him in fantasy football lineups where he’d otherwise be a solid WR2. The fact that he was able to practice, even in a limited role, on Friday is a good sign, so it might be worth the gamble that he’ll be ready to play. If you don’t want to take that risk, his absence could Mingo a decent option as a Flex or WR3.