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Lunchbreak: Diggs-Thielen Combination Rated Among Best in NFL

The Vikings will hold their first full-team practice of training camp today from Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan.

And one of the NFL's top wide receiver duos will be there ready to get to work.

NFL.com analyst James Jones, who spent nine seasons in the league, recently ranked the combination of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen as the **second-best tandem** across the NFL.

Jones wrote:

After Dalvin Cook went down early in the 2017 campaign, Diggs and Thielen showed how they can elevate the offense, finishing as the [second]-best WR duo in the NFL in terms of total yards (2,125 combined).

Both players can line up outside or in the slot, make the tough catches and run every route in the route tree. Their explosiveness makes this pair nearly impossible to defend because teams must have two CB1s to slow them down. And now, with a hand-picked quarterback (Kirk Cousins) and a healthy Cook, the Vikings' offense should make a splash right out of the gate.

Thielen earned Second-Team All-Pro honors and made his first Pro Bowl in 2017 as he had 91 catches for 1,276 yards and four scores.

Diggs had 64 receptions for 849 yards and tied for the team lead with eight touchdowns.

Only wide receiver tandems from Pittsburgh and Atlanta had more yards than Diggs and Thielen in 2017.

Jones ranked Steelers receivers Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the NFL's top tandem.

Elflein, Hunter honored on CBS Sports' All-25-and-Under Team

The Vikings have a pair of young stars on each side of the trenches.

Second-year center Pat Elflein and fourth-year defensive end Danielle Hunter were recently tabbed by Will Brinson of CBS Sports as players to watch under the age of 25

Elflein made Brinson's **All-25-and-Under Offensive Team** as the top young center.

Brinson wrote:

The Vikings have battled offensive line woes for a while now, but saw a drastic improvement last season. Minnesota moved from 17th in Adjusted Sack Rate and 30th in Adjusted Line Yards at Football Outsiders up to sixth and 19th, respectively. Elflein deserves a ton of credit for the offensive line improving, as well as navigating the tricky waters of playing with multiple quarterbacks as a rookie center.

Elflein, who **spoke to the media Thursday** about opening training camp on the PUP list, was named to PFWA's All-Rookie Team for his play in 2017.

Hunter, who leads all 2015 draft picks with 25.5 sacks since entering the league, was on Brinson's **All-25-and-Under Defensive Team**.

Brinson wrote:

Hunter took a below-market deal from the Vikings in order to lock up cash now, but the move also makes sense because he's so young he will hit free agency again in the middle of his prime. He finished the season with "just" seven sacks, but also added 49 quarterback hurries and four quarterback hits. After three impressive years, Hunter could break out in a big way as he starts to refine his game.

The former third-round pick inked a contract extension with the Vikings earlier this month.

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