Thielen confirmed Wednesday that he played through a pair of back fractures in the Vikings' NFC championship loss to the Eagles on Jan. 21 but doesn't expect to face any limitations during the offseason, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Thielen, who caught three passes for 28 yards on nine targets against the Eagles, went on to suit up for the NFC in the Pro Bowl last weekend, which seemingly supports the notion that his back injury isn't especially worrisome. The wideout said he doesn't anticipate any scheduling setbacks in the months leading up to Organized Team Activities and training camp, setting him up for a rather normal offseason.

Active for NFC championship

Thielen (back) is active for Sunday's NFC championship game in Philadelphia.

Analysis: Thielen's limitations in preparation for this outing were blamed on a generic lower back injury. On Sunday afternoon, though, Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune reported Thielen is nursing "back fractures," an issue that "is not insignificant." Per Krammer, Thielen subsequently ran routes during pregame warmups, likely to get a gauge on what he can handle. Although Thielen is available, he could cede snaps to Jarius Wright, Laquon Treadwell and Michael Floyd next to Stefon Diggs in the base…read more

Attempting to play with 'back fractures'

Thielen will attempt to play through back fractures during Sunday's NFC championship game at Philadelphia, Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune reports.

Analysis: When Thielen made his initial appearance on the injury report Wednesday, he was limited with a lower back injury. He maintained the activity level throughout the week, but the nature of his issue wasn't touched on again as he earned a questionable tag for the contest. With his health clarified, Thielen's workload may depend on pain tolerance, as the injury "is not insignificant," per NFL media. Assuming he's active, he'll almost certainly start, but Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph would be in…read more

Slated to play Sunday vs. Eagles

Thielen (lower back), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's NFC championship game against the Eagles, is set to play in the contest, a source informed Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Analysis: An official announcement on Thielen's status should come when the Vikings reveal their inactives approximately 90 minutes before the 6:40 p.m. EST matchup, but it looks like he isn't in any serious peril of missing his first game of the season. Thielen was only able to put in two limited practices during the week, though those restrictions may have only been in place to avoid a potential setback heading into Sunday. Expect the wideout, who logged six catches for 74 yards in last week's…read more

Listed as questionable

Thielen (lower back) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's NFC championship game against the Eagles.

Analysis: Thielen returned to practice in a limited fashion Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session, and given the magnitude of Sunday's contest, we'd expect him to suit up this weekend barring any setbacks. Thielen was on the field for 77 of a possible 81 snaps on offense in last Sunday's divisional-round win over the Saints, en route to hauling in six of nine targets for 74 yards. Assuming he plays against the Eagles, Thielen would be in line to start at wideout for the Vikings opposite Stefon…read more

Returns to practice Thursday

Thielen (lower back) practiced in a limited capacity Thursday.

Analysis: The listing follows Thielen's return to drills, signaling he's taking the necessary steps to ensure he's available for the NFC championship game. Ultimately, Friday's injury report will have the final say on his potential to suit up Sunday, when the Vikings will be facing the Eagles' 17th-ranked pass defense.

Tending to lower back injury

Thielen didn't practice Wednesday due to a lower back injury.

Analysis: During the open portion of practice, Thielen watched from the side without a helmet in hand, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. However, the notion that Thielen's absence was maintenance-related was backed up by Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, who relayed the injury "is not believed to be serious." Ultimately, the next two days will provide an indication of Thielen's availability for Sunday's NFC championship game at Philadelphia.

Not practicing Wednesday

Thielen (undisclosed) wasn't active at the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: While he was in attendance, Thielen wasn't holding a helmet, so it appears he's getting the day off for one reason or another. If his health is compromised, it will be revealed upon the release of Wednesday's injury report.

Thielen caught six of nine targets for 74 yards during Sunday's 29-24 NFC divisional-round victory over the Saints.

Analysis: Thielen's stat line doesn't do his performance justice given the difficulty of some his receptions coupled with the strong coverage he consistently saw from the Saints' respectable secondary. Arguably his biggest moment came in the game's closing minutes when Thielen fought through two separate defensive penalties to haul in a 23-yard pass and set up what was then considered a potential game-winning field goal. Although teammate Stefon Diggs stole the spotlight with his stunning 61-yard…read more

Thielen caught two of six targets for 24 yards during Saturday's 16-0 victory over the Packers.

Analysis: Thielen was one of two Vikings players with more than two targets as Case Keenum attempted just 25 passes on the evening. He broke off a 21-yard gain at one point, but his other reception went for just three yards as he notched a season low in that category. Thielen has enjoyed a tremendous breakout campaign, but his performance during the fantasy playoffs -- 54 yards on five catches over the last two weeks -- has likely left fantasy owners disappointed. He'll look to finish off the campaign…read more

Thielen had three receptions on five targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 34-7 win over the Bengals.

Analysis: Thielen and Minnesota's receivers had a low-key game after it quickly became a blowout with the running game getting most of the action. He'll likely be a bigger focus of the offense next week at Green Bay.

Thielen (knee) doesn't have a designation on the final injury report for Sunday's game against the Bengals.

Analysis: Thielen was limited at Wednesday's practice but returned to full participation Thursday and Friday. Already accounting for 27.9 percent of the Vikings' targets, Thielen could push for an even higher portion this weekend in the likely absence of TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle-doubtful).

Full practice Thursday

Thielen (knee) practiced fully Thursday.

Analysis: Thielen made a surprise appearance on Wednesday's injury report, getting tabbed as a limited participant due to a knee issue. With his elevation to a full session Thursday, the previous day's limitations appear to have been maintenance-related. Thielen will now focus on a Bengals defense Sunday that has allowed 150.5 receiving yards per game and three touchdowns to wideouts over the last six contests.

Limited with knee issue

Thielen was listed as a limited participant during Wednesday's practice with a knee injury, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: There were no indications that Thielen was hurting following Sunday's 105-yard, one-touchdown effort in a loss to the Panthers, so it's presumed that his limitations Wednesday were primarily for maintenance-related reasons. Assuming Thielen gains clearance to suit up Week 15 against the Bengals, he'll take aim against a banged-up Cincinnati defense that surrendered 25 completions and 271 passing yards last week to Bears rookie Mitch Trubisky, who had previously surpassed the 200-yard barrier in…read more

Thielen caught six of 13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-24 loss to Carolina.

Analysis: Thielen was the intended target on an opening-drive Case Keenum interception and dropped a would-be four-yard touchdown in the front corner of the end zone just before halftime. He seemed to make amends two plays later, but further review revealed that he failed to possess the ball to the ground, resulting in his second dropped touchdown of the drive. Thielen's 52-yard score in the fourth quarter erased any ill will Vikings fans or fantasy owners had after his poor performance in the first…read more

Thielen caught four of five targets for 51 yards during Sunday's 14-9 win over the Falcons.

Analysis: Thielen hauled in all but one of the passes thrown his way, but limited targets and a few short gains limited him to his fourth-lowest yardage output of the season. Still, he tied for the team lead in targets as Case Keenum spread the ball around to nine different pass catchers. Thielen had averaged an impressive 119 yards per game over the previous four and will look to get back on track next week against the Panthers.

Busy in win over Lions

Thielen caught eight of 11 targets for 89 yards during Thursday's 30-23 win over Detroit.

Analysis: While it's a little disappointing that Thielen's touchdown streak ended at three games, this checks out as another solid showing from the go-to receiver. He's up to 27 receptions, 476 yards and three scores through the past four weeks, and he's also paced the Vikings in targets during that stretch. With reliable receivers in decline across the league, Thielen checks out as a rare option who can be started confidently week in, week out.

Thielen brought in six of nine targets for 123 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-7 win over the Rams.

Analysis: Thielen provided the highlight of the day when he took a short Case Keenum pass 65 yards to pay dirt in the fourth quarter, giving the Vikings a commanding 20-7 lead. The fourth-year wideout continues to serve as Minnesota's most consistent big-play threat, and he's now posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving efforts while also logging a touchdown in three straight contests. Thielen has seen less than eight targets only once all season as well, rendering him one of the most dependable fantasy…read more