'Massive dip' in production expected for Adam Thielen in 2023

In his first season with the Carolina Panthers, expectations aren't very high for former Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen.

Before he was even let go by the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year, current Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen was making it known to the public that he wanted to play for a team in 2023 that would allow him to prove he can still perform at a high level.

Thielen's desires caught a few people a bit off guard since he was coming off of a 2022 season with the Vikings in which he was targeted 107 times, second only to Justin Jefferson, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Now with the Panthers, in a new offensive system, with a rookie quarterback expected to be the guy throwing him passes, will Thielen be able to re-establish himself as a dominant wide receiver in the league next season?

Numbers for Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen not expected to be impressive in first season away from Minnesota Vikings

The 32-year-old Thielen likely feels rejuvenated, and Carolina is excited about adding a Pro Bowl wide receiver to their offense, but not everyone is on board with the idea of him returning to playing at a high level again in 2023.

Fantasy Pros' Dennis Sosic recently wrote about the former Minnesota receiver and what type of production should be expected out of him next season with the Panthers.

"Adam Thielen continued to produce [in 2022] despite a noticeable decline in skill. Thielen scored six touchdowns last season with the Minnesota Vikings and caught 70 passes on 107 targets for 716 yards. The veteran wideout will not have the best receiver in the NFL (Justin Jefferson) opposite him in Carolina, so look for those numbers to take a massive dip."

Massive seems a little harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts, and Thielen could potentially be heading into a season where he puts up some pretty mediocre numbers.

The veteran receiver is going from a Vikings offensive scheme that attempted the third-most passes in the NFL last season to a new scheme under Carolina head coach Frank Reich that is expected to be much more run-centric. In three of Reich's last four years as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2019 to 2022, his offenses ranked 20th or lower in the league in pass attempts.

Thielen is most likely going to get fewer targets with the Panthers in 2023 than he did with the Vikings last season. Will he be able to handle that, or will he end up regretting his decision to not figure out a way to remain in Minnesota?