Vikings Territory: Adam Thielen 2021 ‘NFL Top 100' Ranking Unveiled

Press release from Vikings Territory:

Dustin Baker Dustin Baker

2021-08-16

Each summer, NFL Network announced the 100 best players in the league, an event touted for its legitimacy.

The first member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 to appear on the rankings is Adam Thielen. He checked in at #80 for the 2021 edition.

August 15, 2021

Thielen makes a return to the NFL Top 100 after exclusion in 2020. The season prior to last year’s version of the rankings, Thielen missed six games due to injury. Here’s a look at Thielen’s NFL Top 100 history:

In 2018, Thielen experienced the peak of his powers, jelling instantly with then-new quarterback Kirk Cousins. He hauled in 113 receptions for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns during the Vikings disappointing 8-7-1 campaign. That output caused the best NFL Top 100 ranking of his career, a personal mark that will likely be the summit of his dealings with the list. Thielen turns 31 next week. He even tied the NFL record for most consecutive (eight) 100+ yard receiving games in 2018. Calvin Johnson is the fellow record-holder.

As Justin Jefferson continues his airlift to stardom, the trend might persist. Last year, Jefferson was the “yards guy” and Thielen was the “touchdown guy.” Kyle Rudolph was the Vikings “redzone guy” for about a decade, and he now plays for the New York Giants. Because of Thielen’s reliability and surehandedness, he might take Rudolph’s mantel as the touchdown threat inside the 20-yardline. Hell, he began doing it in 2020 when Rudolph succumbed to injury.

The company he keeps is impressive, too. Thielen is frequently lauded for his rags-to-riches story in Minnesota folklore. But it’s important to note that Thielen’s production is terrific by NFL standards — not just a Minnesota criterion. The Minnesota State alumnus became a full-time starter in 2016, and since then, these are the only players to perform consistently at a higher level:

Finally, he’s an elder statesman on the Vikings roster. Harrison Smith is the only player currently on the Vikings roster to play more games (130 games) with the team than Thielen (105 games). After Smith and Thielen, Anthony Barr (87 games), Eric Kendricks (85 games), and Danielle Hunter (78 games) have the seniority.

This press release was produced by Vikings Territory .The views expressed here are the author’s own.