Is Adam Thielen playing today? Full injury update for Panthers WR in Week 12

The Carolina Panthers are getting healthier. No team is 100 percent fit and firing at this stage of the season, but Dave Canales' men should be relatively fresh coming off their bye week heading into a high-profile contest against the Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium.

There are some slight concerns on the health front. No fewer than eight players were listed as questionable in Week 12. This came too soon for edge rusher and special teams ace Amare Barno. Veteran running back Miles Sanders was placed on injured reserve and has likely played his last game in a Panthers uniform.

Adam Thielen was among those with the questionable tag. The Pro Bowl wide receiver has been missing since Week 3 with a hamstring injury. Carolina has taken things slowly regarding his recovery, but they resisted the temptation to trade him before the deadline to keep some experience within their wideout room.

Thielen's practice schedule has ramped up since the bye week. He's eager to get back involved and provide quarterback Bryce Young with another dependable option in the passing attack versus one of the league's most prolific defenses. An encouraging report from a leading NFL insider seemed to suggest the former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State would feature in some capacity.

Carolina Panthers should have Adam Thielen available in Week 12

Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network revealed that Thielen is expected to play against the Chiefs in Week 12. Just how much he'll participate after being out for so long remains to be seen, but his presence represents a massive boost on and off the field for this improving squad.

Thielen still has the best hands on the team. Having this stable assurance should help Young in his quest to build additional momentum following his mini-renaissance since becoming the starter once again. Undrafted free agent Jalen Coker also revealed how influential the veteran's been in helping Carolina's next generation of pass-catchers during their critical early transitions.

All this will be needed and more versus the Chiefs. They might not be clicking fully on offense this season, but their defense is a formidable adversary to overcome. The more reliability Young has at his disposal, the better Carolina's chances will be.

Nobody is expecting much from the Panthers in this one. They are double-digit underdogs and have a significant challenge ahead of them despite getting an extended rest period following their Week 10 triumph over the New York Giants. It won't be easy, but having Thielen back in the mix improves their chances.

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