The Carolina Panthers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Adam Thielen.
Is Adam Thielen Playing in Week 17?
Thielen was limited at Thursday’s practice with a hamstring issue. It’s a new injury for Thielen, who dealt with a lengthy hamstring strain earlier this season. He was limited again on Friday and has no injury designation.
We’ll continue to monitor the Panthers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Adam Thielen in Week 17?
Thielen has caught 5+ passes in all four games this month and has scored in three of his past six, but he has just two games this season with 60+ receiving yards. The rate numbers look good across the board, and this matchup is inviting. However, can you really trust a Bryce Young weapon with your championship on the line?
Thielen posted an 8-99-1 line in the Week 13 meeting, but none of it was fluky. Young was looking his way and hit him on a 25-yard pass to send the game into overtime. The game itself was encouraging, and it tracks with season-long trends. The Bucs allow the second-most yards per slot pass attempt in the league this season.
The downside of this offense as a whole stops me from elevating Thielen into my top 30 at the position, but he’s safely tucked inside the top 40 and can be flexed with more confidence in leagues that weigh receptions/yards heavier than touchdowns.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 17 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Adam Thielen’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 17
As of Sunday morning, Thielen is projected to score 13.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 5.1 receptions for 54.7 yards and 0.5 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Adam Thielen’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:45 PM ET on Saturday, January 25.
Conference Championship WR PPR Rankings
1) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. WAS)
2) Terry McLaurin | WAS (at PHI)
3) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. WAS)
4) Khalil Shakir | BUF (at KC)
5) Xavier Worthy | KC (vs. BUF)
6) Hollywood Brown | KC (vs. BUF)
7) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (vs. BUF)
8) Keon Coleman | BUF (at KC)
9) Dyami Brown | WAS (at PHI)
10) Mack Hollins | BUF (at KC)
11) Amari Cooper | BUF (at KC)
12) Curtis Samuel | BUF (at KC)
13) Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS (at PHI)
14) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (vs. BUF)
15) Jahan Dotson | PHI (vs. WAS)
16) Jamison Crowder | WAS (at PHI)
17) Luke McCaffrey | WAS (at PHI)
18) Justin Watson | KC (vs. BUF)
19) Johnny Wilson | PHI (vs. WAS)
20) Parris Campbell | PHI (vs. WAS)
21) Nikko Remigio | KC (vs. BUF)
22) Ainias Smith | PHI (vs. WAS)