OK I am going to say it. Adam Theilen is a #1.

[Guest]

@A1Janitor said:
He is our best receiver.  But he plays more of the 2 position. 

If we could find a true 1 - floyd ain't it, and Treadwell seems more of an extra receiver on 3rd and long or to block on running plays.  

When we had Cook, we got the deeper passes.  

what is the "2" position?

[Guest]

If you're saying that Adam Thielen is a great receiver, fully capably of being a #1 receiver on most NFL teams, I would agree completely. He's money. He's clutch. But if you're saying he's better than Diggs, no, he's not. 

[Guest]

Maybe not, but he's definitely more consistent and dependable than Diggs.

[Guest]

@SFVikingFan said:
Maybe not, but he's definitely more consistent and dependable than Diggs.

No doubt more dependable. 

[Guest]

The actual depth chart and player position designations not withstanding, what makes a receiver a #1 in a "general" sense? Great route running? Great hands? Great feet? Unselfish play? Durability? Consistency? Flexibility? Dependability? Rare turnovers? Thielen has all of these qualities. I don't care about position designations. I care about productivity and wins. Thielen is our best receiver, whether you call him a #1 or a #2.  
I'm a BIG Diggs fan. Love that guy. Love his fire, love his hands, love his route running, his competitiveness. But until he can consistently stay on the field he isn't OUR #1 receiver. He has the skillset but not the durability. He needs to be on the field to show off his skills and have his play vault our offense forward, like he did against the Saints and Bucs.

[Guest]

Seems like people are confusing the term #1 and #2 position. Between production and position. 

I think that's the big disconnect here. 

[Guest]

In my book, the #1 or X is the guy that lines up outside, on the line, often faces the defenses best CB.  Because he is outside, on the line he often faces press coverage.  The other positions are more flexible, but typically the #2 or Y lines up outside but off the line as the TE is on his side.  The #3 or Z is the slot guy.

Wallace couldn't handle being the X and wouldn't play it.  So when Diggs was playing, he had to play that position and started struggling later in the year with the press coverage.  IIRC, he acknowledged that and worked on it and is much better against it now.  Last year I doubted Thielen could handle the X.  I thought he was too small, not physical enough.  But he played it and even thrived allowing Diggs to thrive as well. 

Now our offense has changed, I think we run more 3 wides and actually Treadwell plays the X spot with Diggs at Y and Thielen at slot.

But as far as being the go to guy, Thielen is getting it done without Diggs drawing attention.  But he is playing slot, and likely facing the nickle CB rather than the top guy.