4 Vikings players who need to hit the ground running in 2020
By Dean Jones
Adam Thielen – WR
The pressure is on Adam Thielen in no uncertain terms next season. The wide receiver is now the team’s undisputed No. 1 option following the departure of Stefon Diggs and this is a responsibility he is sure to relish.
Thielen’s journey from an undrafted prospect to one of the NFL’s best pass-catchers is nothing short of inspirational. This has commanded the respect of his teammates and his production has gone a long way to the Vikings securing some notable success in recent years without getting their hands on an elusive first Super Bowl trophy.
There are some injury doubts surrounding the player that blighted him last time around. Thielen deserves a tremendous amount of credit for trying to play through a hamstring strain that clearly had a big impact on his ability to perform in 2019. But the Vikings will need him fresh and firing on all cylinders from the outset given the relative lack of experience on the depth chart behind him.
Minnesota has high hopes for Bisi Johnson and first-round pick Justin Jefferson this season. Both come with a significant amount of upside. But everything good in the passing game will inevitably go through Thielen.
Hopefully, for the player and the organization, Thielen can stay injury-free and provide the necessary numbers to get the Vikings back to the playoffs.