Vikings WR Adam Thielen Has High-Ankle Sprain, Will Undergo Further Testing

Thielen will undoubtedly miss Thursday night's game against the Steelers and maybe longer.

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen suffered a high-ankle sprain early in Sunday's loss to the Lions, according to multiple reports. He'll undergo further testing on Monday to determine the severity of the injury and how much time he'll miss.

It's safe to say Thielen won't play on Thursday night against the Steelers. The earliest we could potentially see him again is two weeks from this Monday night, December 20th, when the Vikings take on the Bears in Chicago. However, high-ankle sprains can be pretty serious injuries. If it's a Grade 2 or 3 sprain, it's possible Thielen may be done for the season. Even if it's a Grade 1 sprain, he could miss several weeks. The Vikings have five games left to play.

Thielen picked up the injury while getting tackled on a screen pass less than three minutes into the game. He was helped off the field and was quickly listed as questionable to return.

Here's the Adam Thielen injury. Feet got tangled up on the way down pic.twitter.com/2MfhKBTSHs

— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) December 5, 2021

Thielen remained on the sidelines for the rest of the first half, testing out his ankle, but was downgraded to out at halftime.

Losing Thielen is a tough blow for a Vikings offense already missing Dalvin Cook and Christian Darrisaw. For as long as he's out, K.J. Osborn will step into his role as the starting receiver opposite Justin Jefferson. Dede Westbrook becomes the No. 3, with Dan Chisena and rookie Ihmir Smith-Marsette (inactive Sunday) as candidates to see some playing time going forward.

Thielen has 64 catches for 686 yards this season. The two-time Pro Bowler is tied for second in the NFL with 10 receiving touchdowns and leads the league in that category with 24 since the start of 2020.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all season long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.