Minnesota Vikings: Putting Adam Thielen’s 2018 season in perspective

Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen had a historical 2018 season, which saw him join Randy Moss and Cris Carter in the record books.

The Minnesota Vikings found their true No. 1 receiver in 2018. Not that there was any question before the season started, but Adam Thielen can now be considered the team’s most reliable receiving threat. Thielen not only set an NFL record for most 100-yard games to start a season (eight), but he also joined elite company in some other categories.

He finished the 2018 season with 113 receptions for 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns. The only other Vikings receivers to ever eclipse 100 receptions and 1,300 yards in a single season are Cris Carter (1995) and Randy Moss (2002, 2003).

It’s impressive enough that Thielen joined two Hall of Famers as the only Vikings players to ever reach those thresholds. But even more impressive is that he did it on only 153 targets. Carter’s 1995 season saw him thrown at 197 times, while Moss had 185 targets in 2002 and 172 targets in 2003.

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Below are the season totals for each player:

• Cris Carter, 1995: 122 receptions (197 targets), 1,371 yards, 17 touchdowns
• Randy Moss, 2002: 106 receptions (185 targets), 1,347 yards, seven touchdowns
• Randy Moss, 2003: 111 receptions (172 targets), 1,632 yards, 17 touchdowns
• Adam Thielen, 2018: 113 receptions (153 targets), 1,373 yards, nine touchdowns

Thielen’s 73.9 catch rate blew away both of Moss’ (57.3 and 64.5, respectively) and Carter’s (61.9) catch percentages during their historical years. It’s not like Thielen was just racking up underneath passes to bolster his catch rate, either. He finished 2018 with 8.97 receiving yards per target, better than than both Moss’ 2002 season and Carter’s 1995 season.

Thielen also finished with 12.15 yards per catch, which compares favorably to both of the Hall of Famers’ historical seasons. Receiving yards per game were nearly identical for all three players, as well, with Thielen ending the season at 85.8 ypg.

Finally, Thielen passed Moss for most 100-yard games in Vikings’ single season with nine. Add in the fact that he failed to eclipse five catches or 80 yards in his final five games, and Thielen’s final stats look even more impressive.

To be considered in elite company is one thing, but to match what your idols once did is another story. Thielen grew up in Minnesota, as a Vikings fan, and even dressed up as Randy Moss for Halloween one year. He went to Vikings training camp as a kid to see both Carter and Moss, both of whom inspired Thielen to become a receiver. Now, he gets to be mentioned in the same sentence as both of them.

It’ll be tough for Thielen to match what he accomplished this past year. The 28-year old receiver has improved every season of his career, but topping his 2018 campaign could mean an all-time record for nearly all receiving statistical categories — passing both Carter and Moss for good.