Adam Thielen injury update: Latest on Panthers WR for fantasy football Week 4

Adam Thielen has had more than his fair share of quality seasons in fantasy football. As such, some managers have made it a priority to draft him every year.

However, considering his age at 33 years old, injury concerns are big for the wide receiver.

Ahead of Week 4, the wide receiver has popped up on the injury report in an unorthodox way.

Adam Thielen at Detroit Lions v Carolina Panthers

Adam Thielen Injury Update

The wide receiver popped up on the team's injury report this week for an uncommon reason.

He appeared to have practiced on Wednesday but missed Thursday entirely. However, the report states that there were no issues. The missed practice was merely a rest day.

One could wonder if the choice to rest him was precautionary, considering he suffered an ankle injury earlier this year. However, it still is quite uncommon to see a random rest day in the middle of the season.

Veterans like Adam Thielen often see rest days early in training camp, but not when live bullets are flying.

The missed practice comes in the shadow of the team's upcoming game on Sunday.

If there would be such a preplanned rest day, logic dictates it would happen earlier in the week. He appears to be healthy for now, but there could be more to the story.

What happened to Adam Thielen?

If there is a connection to the wide receiver's previous ankle injury, the injury originally popped up ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

In the leadup to the game, he practiced in a limited fashion on two of the days and while taking Thursday off, which is the same day he missed this week.

In Week 2 and Week 3, he wasn't listed on the injury report, leaving many to believe that he was fully healed. Now, he has been listed on the report again, but as a healthy rest day. This leaves managers scratching their heads.

When will Adam Thielen return?

The wide receiver is set to play this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. If taken at face value, he should have no limitations. However, that said, one cannot help but brace for something to be revealed during the game or moments before kickoff.

Managers interested in starting the wide receiver this week should pay close attention on Sunday morning.

Last week, he recorded 11 catches for 145 yards and a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks.

As such, simply benching him to avoid the situation altogether isn't a perfect fix unless there's another wide receiver on the bench who has a chance to put up 20 points this week