MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings are expected to be without Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen against the Carolina Panthers, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Friday.
Thielen has been on the reserve/COVID-19 list since Monday. He had a season-best eight catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns in last Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 30-year-old wideout leads the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns and has emerged as the top receiving threat in red zone with a league-best 10 TDs inside the 20-yard line.
Thielen is the only Vikings player currently on the COVID-19 list. Guard Dru Samia, who tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of Minnesota’s Week 10 win at Chicago, was activated earlier in the week.
On Friday, coach Mike Zimmer said that Thielen still had a shot to play Sunday.
“Yeah, we’ll just have to see,” Zimmer said. “He’s going through the protocol. We’ll just have to see how it goes on Sunday.”
