4 reasons why Adam Thielen could struggle in 2020

No more Stefon Diggs

Adam Thielen has been extremely productive since the 2016 season. During this span, there has been one consistent opposite him and that was Stefon Diggs.

As talented as a receiver as Thielen is, Diggs was just as, if not more, talented. Diggs has great speed and he is as good a route-runner as there is in the NFL today.

He often provided big plays that got the Minnesota offense out of a funk. Diggs’ presence on the field kept defenses honest and it didn’t allow teams to double-team Thielen. Without Diggs in town anymore, that trend could end in 2020.

Thielen and Diggs worked extremely well together. Diggs was more of the field-stretching type of receiver while Thielen did a lot of damage over the middle and in traffic. Their time together ranks near the top when it comes to the Vikings best receiving duos of all-time and it is a fair question to ask if one can produce while the other isn’t on the same field as them.

In 2020, opposing defenses will now focus on taking Thielen out of Minnesota’s passing equation. Besides Kyle Rudolph, he’s the only proven threat in the Vikings passing attack that is loaded with young players who have yet to prove their worth.

Thielen could see more double-teams during the upcoming season than ever before, meaning will have to fight and scrap for every reception he makes.