Thielen briefly considered retirement before confirming in February that he'll be back for his age-35 season. He's aged well so far, which perhaps shouldn't be surprising for someone who was a late bloomer in the first place. After putting up monster numbers in the first half of 2023, his first season with the Panthers, he fell off hard in the second half of the year and then started 2024 slowly before missing Weeks 4-10 with a hamstring injury. While many assumed Thielen was washed up, he came back Week 12 and averaged 5.7 catches for 72.3 yards on 7.1 targets over the final seven games, scoring four TDs while helping 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young look like an NFL-caliber quarterback for the first time. It won't be too surprising if Thielen squeezes out another year of fantasy utility, especially in full-PPR formats, as the Panthers otherwise are relying on rookie first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and second-year pros Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette to help Young continue his development.
