Adrian Peterson: Week 1 Status and Fantasy Impact for the Vikings' Star

After tearing both his ACL and MCL at the end of last season, no one would be surprised if Adrian Peterson sat out Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

But the Vikings running back is attempting to defy the odds to open the NFL season.

As Jacksonville prepares for life against Peterson, his status for Sunday’s game is still up in the air.  Let’s go to the news feed.

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In one simple response, Adrian Peterson let the football world know his mindset headed into the game against Jacksonville, via Jeremy Fowler of Pioneer Press. 

"If that's 10 snaps, five, 25, 30, ... I'm ready to roll," Peterson said.

While hearing that Peterson will play from his own mouth is helpful, there’s no better source than the man who runs the Vikings offense: Bill Musgrave. Minnesota's offensive coordinator shed some knowledge on Peterson’s status for Sunday:

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Vikings OC Bill Musgrave, asked if he had any doubt whether Adrian Peterson would be ready to play Sunday: "No, not too much doubt."

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 6, 2012

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It seems Peterson will attempt to play, but Vikings fans and fantasy owners shouldn’t hold their breath. The Vikings' offensive game planner has spoken.

Game Impact vs. Jacksonville

The Vikings have a more than capable backup for Peterson in Toby Gerhart. He’ll take on the starter’s load, while Peterson will be a change of pace for 10 carries at most.

The Vikings offense will have its hands full with the Jacksonville defense, which was a surprisingly effective unit last season despite team's overall record.  The defense gave up the fifth-lowest total yards per game in 2011.

Peterson or not, Minnesota will try to establish the run for second-year quarterback Christian Ponder. Their quarterback throws comfortably outside the pocket and especially out of bootlegs.

The Vikings have a fighter’s chance to beat Jacksonville even without their star. No need for them to overwork him in this matchup.

Fantasy Impact

Fantasy owners who selected Peterson knew that it may not pay dividends in Week 1. A subpar performance in Week 4, though, won’t cut it for those who spent a second or third-round pick on the recovering fantasy star.

For those who were hoping Peterson could be a quality flex option, his fantasy ceiling does not warrant better upside plays, such as his backup Gerhart.

For those owners looking for other last-minute replacements for AP, scour the waiver wire for San Diego’s Ronnie Brown or the Seahawks' Robert Turbin. Both have the inside track as of today to get a healthy workload in fantasy’s first week.