Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings RB Likely To Play, Listed As Probable

It looks like the Minnesota Vikings will have star running back Adrian Peterson in the lineup on Sunday. Peterson has been limited in practice this week and has said multiple times that he plans to play, even if he's not at 100%. He's even joked about it, suggesting he owes it to the folks who have him on their fantasy teams.

On Friday, Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier spoke to the media and essentially confirmed Peterson for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. According to Tom Pelissero, Peterson had no soreness on Friday at all:

Per Frazier, no soreness or anything for Adrian Peterson today. Not guaranteeing full workload but he'll return on Sunday. #Vikings

He goes on to note that Peterson's snap count would be in question, as he's missed so much time and he'll need to be worked into the lineup. That likely means Toby Gerhart will get some snaps in relief, but by all accounts, Peterson could be starting against the Saints. He's officially listed as "probable" for  Sunday's game on the injury report.

Adrian Peterson Injury: Fantasy Owners May Have Goaded Vikings RB Into Playing

Adrian Peterson has missed a few weeks due to injury, but that apparently will change this weekend for the Minnesota Vikings' All-Pro running back. His team is only playing for pride at this point, but the veteran plans to fight through his ankle sprain for a different team.

Peterson will be playing because he's healthy, for the most part, but he acknowledged his standing on fantasy teams as well while talking to the media on Thursday.

Adrian Peterson had good news Thursday for those who have him on their fantasy football team: The running back is planning to play Sunday against New Orleans after a three-game absence.

"They've been giving me a hard time on Twitter," Peterson said of those who rely on him in their fantasy leagues.

Peterson, who hasn't played since suffering a high left ankle sprain on Nov. 20 against Oakland, said he has been fielding questions from owners who want to know if they should play him.

Peterson's official status won't be determined until Friday afternoon, but it sounds like it's safe to insert the Vikings running back into your fantasy lineup for now.

Adrian Peterson Injury: Vikings RB Practices In Limited Fashion Again On Thursday

After missing the last three games with a high ankle sprain, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson may finally be back in action on Sunday when the team takes on the tough New Orleans Saints. After saying on Monday that he felt good, Peterson practiced with the team on Wednesday, albeit in limited fashion, but any practice is good news. Now, on Thursday, Peterson once again joined his team for limited practice.

This is good news because there's been no setbacks. According to Sports Illustrated, Peterson said that he feels 85 percent healthy, and that he is determined to play on Sunday against the Saints. It would be the first time Peterson plays in over a month.

If he's not good to go, Toby Gerhart would likely get the start. He's been playing well, but sitting at 2-11 and searching for their first win in some time, the Vikings really need their feature back in Peterson to return. The worst record in franchise history is 3-13, so the Vikings need to pick up a couple of wins so they can avoid doing that. Against a Saints run defense that has been hit-or-miss, this is entirely possible. 

Adrian Peterson Likely Headed To Pro Bowl According To Latest Voting Totals

Adrian Peterson Injury: Running Back Limited, But Returns To Practice

On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings felt that they were really close to getting running back Adrian Peterson back in action. There continue to be good signs, as the star running back officially practiced with his teammates on Wednesday, according to Tom Pelissero. Peterson has missed multiple games with an ankle sprain, and the team has certainly missed him, with rookie quarterback Christian Ponder struggling to carry the load.

Backup Toby Gerhart has taken over in Peterson's absence, and though he's had some big plays here or there, he's been unable to really handle taking some of the pressure off of his rookie signal caller. Gerhart might have earned himself some more carries even when Peterson returns, but him starting is not ideal. With a tough New Orleans Saints team up next on the schedule, the Vikings really could use Peterson back in the lineup.

He was officially listed as limited in practice on Wednesday.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings RB 'Real Close' To Returning

Adrian Peterson injury updates have been getting better and better for the past few weeks, but the Minnesota Vikings running back still hasn't been able to see any in-game action since suffering his high ankle sprain. That could change this week, however, if everything goes according to plan.

Head coach Leslie Frazier met with the media on Monday morning to address Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions, but briefly touched on his running back's status for the Vikings upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints.

"We're optimistic we'll be able to get Adrian (Peterson) back this week," Frazier said during his press conference on Monday. "He was real close at the end of last week so we're hoping we'll have him back."

Peterson hasn't played since being injured against the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 20 after just six carries. The Vikings are only playing for pride at this point, but the running back obviously wants to return for the last few weeks of the regular season.

Adrian Peterson Injury: Vikings RB Limited On Friday, Should Be Game-Time Decision

The Minnesota Vikings have been hopeful that running back Adrian Peterson could return on Sunday from a high ankle sprain injury. On Friday, Peterson practiced yet again, but it was in limited fashion, not taking part in group drills and instead working out on his own. It would be surprising if he played on Sunday, given the current state of the VIkings season - they're out of the NFC North competition, aren't within striking distance of a wildcard and are focusing on the development of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder.

Regardless, he'll likely be a game-time decision on Sunday. If he can't go, then Toby Gerhart would get the start, with perhaps a bit of Percy Harvin in there to change things up. The Vikings will be more focused on keeping Ponder upright on Sunday, as they'll be taking on the Detroit Lions, who have a lackluster run defense, so Peterson may not even be needed. It's hard to see him playing if he's not 100% with no risk of re-injuring the ankle.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: No Timetable, But Could Return To Vikings This Week

The Adrian Peterson injury is one of the few things worth keeping track of as far as Minnesota Vikings news is concerned for the rest of the season. The other story to watch will be either hoping that the team can play a spoiler role or hoping for a high draft pick, depending on whether the glass is half-full or half-empty, but Peterson's status will likely be an integral part of those stories as well.

Frazier has sat out the last two games with a high ankle sprain, but he could return this week according to head coach Leslie Frazier.

As for RB Adrian Peterson, who has missed two games with an ankle injury, there is no timeline for his return. It could be as early as this week, but there's also a possibility that he misses another game. We'll monitor his status as the week progresses.

Considering that the Vikings also had hopes that Peterson would be able to play this past week, it's probably not worth reading too far into this update. His status is worth keeping an eye on regardless, though, as the Vikings prepare for their game against the Detroit Lions.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings RB Ruled Out Against Broncos

After two days of slight optimism regarding Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and his ankle injury, said optimism has been dissipated. According to the Pioneer Press, Peterson has officially been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos by head coach Leslie Frazier.

Peterson was nowhere to be seen at practice on Friday, which is a change from previous days. He didn't test his ankle sprain on Wednesday, but had expressed confidence in the fact that he thought he'd be playing on Sunday. When Thursday rolled around, Peterson was saying that his ankle felt good running on it, and again expressed confidence that he'd play.

Peterson said he was expecting a decision on Saturday, so there was either a setback late Thursday or early Friday, or perhaps the team just decided that it was too close for comfort, regardless. With the team not competing for the playoffs at this point, there's no reason to risk your feature running back.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings RB Is Running On Ankle, Could Play Sunday

The news on Thursday is much the same as it was on Wednesday - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won't be practicing today, but there is still hope that he could be playing on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Of particular note today is the fact that Peterson has been running on his ankle, according to the Pioneer Press:

Peterson won't practice today, but is running on ankle and says he's "getting more movement." Expects decision on DEN game to be made Sat    

That's good that he's running on it, as it's a change from the past practices, where Peterson was resting the ankle sprain. A decision on Saturday means that Peterson himself is very optimistic, but it will ultimately come down to the coaches. Since the decision is expected on Saturday and not Sunday, it likely is more of a case of just being safe. The team isn't going to compete for a playoff spot this season, and if there's any doubt to Peterson's status, it's not worth making him a gametime decision.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings Running Back Could Play This Week

Wednesday's Adrian Peterson injury update was surprisingly positive, at least for fans of the Minnesota Vikings, as it seems his ankle is progressing much better than early prognostications suggested. The running back did not plan to practice on Wednesday, but he could still play this weekend.

Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain and ligament damage on Nov. 20 against the Oakland Raiders that was expected to keep him out for quite awhile. Peterson's rehabbing nicely, however, and could participate in portions of Thursday's practice, according to head coach Leslie Frazier.

Frazier said Wednesday that his running back might even be the feature back for this weekend's game against the Denver Broncos.

"You want to make sure that he can protect himself, that he can get out of trouble," Frazier said. "If the hole's closed, that he can bounce through the things he has ordinarily done. If he can't do that in our evaluation, we can't put him out there. He's too valuable to our organization and our team.

"So, we'll see where he is day to day, and hopefully, by Friday, we'll have a better indication of can he get on the field and do some things like the Adrian that we know."

If Peterson is unable to play this weekend, Toby Gerhart is likely going to receive the bulk of the carries for another week.

Adrian Peterson Injury: Vikings Running Back Is Improving, According To Coach

The Adrian Peterson injury is one of the reasons that the Minnesota Vikings fell to the Atlanta Falcons this this past weekend, but he wasn't the only player that was hurt in the Vikings road loss. Head coach Leslie Frazier spoke to the media on Monday where he assessed the health of his players following the weekend's game.

The most important player that Frazier updated didn't even play against the Falcons as Peterson was ruled out with a high ankle sprain, but it sounds as though the Vikings running back is getting better.

Halfback Adrian Peterson (high ankle sprain) continues to make progress and coaches will know more on his status later in the week. "He is improving so that's encouraging for us," Frazier said.

The prognosis on some of the other Vikings isn't quite as promising, however.

Frazier said long snapper Cullen Loeffler is out two to six weeks with a lower back fracture, safety Tyrell Johnson suffered a significant hamstring injury, wide receiver Michael Jenkins could miss time due to a knee injury, cornerback Asher Allen suffered a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and Hussain Abdullah could return this week after missing the previous two games with a concussion.

Minnesota Vikings Injury Report, Week 12: Adrian Peterson Out On Wednesday

The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for a game against the Atlanta Falcons on the road this weekend, but Leslie Frazier's team is having to get ready without its best player. The Vikings first injury report of the week was released on Wednesday and, not surprisingly, Adrian Peterson did not participate.

Peterson, along with tight ends Visanthe Shiancoe and Kyle Rudolph and safety Hussain Abdullah, sat out the entirety of Wednesday's practice. If Peterson isn't able to participate by Friday, he won't play on Sunday.

"If he can't do anything by Friday, we wouldn't try to go and work him out on Sunday to see if he'd be ready to go," Frazier said in his press conference on Wednesday.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin, linebacker Erin Henderson, guard Anthony Herrera and quarterback Christian Ponder were all limited on Wednesday, but did take part in at least part of practice. Herrera has missed the past three games, but could play this weekend if he doesn't suffer any setbacks.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Vikings Running Back Likely Out This Week, According To ESPN

Adrian Peterson's injury status won't be revealed officially until later this week, but the early indications are that his high-ankle sprain will likely keep him out of the Minnesota Vikings game this weekend. The running back has already said he plans to play, but that seems to be a long-shot in reality.

The high-ankle sprain isn't an easy injury to return from for most football players and, as ESPN's Stephania Bell reports, there have been numerous players that have been forced to sit out longer than expected with the same injury.

Earlier this year there was optimism that St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford would play the week following a high ankle sprain; he missed two games. Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones returned last week after missing four weeks with his high ankle sprain. While no two injuries are identical, the concern over proper healing of a high ankle sprain to prevent future problems and the demands of the running back position suggest Peterson will miss this week and perhaps longer.

The Daily Norseman has looked at the Vikings' possible replacements if Peterson is definitely ruled out for the game against the Atlanta Falcons, for those interested, and there really isn't a clear cut choice.

Adrian Peterson Injury: Vikings RB Has High Ankle Sprain, Could Do Light Practice Friday

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had an MRI scheduled for Monday on his injured ankle, and head coach Leslie Frazier spoke about the injury and the results of the MRI to the media on Monday. According to the Pioneer Press, Frazier said that it's a grade 1 high ankle sprain, and that Peterson will wear a boot for a few days. The tweet also notes that Peterson "might" start light football activity as early as Friday.

Given this news, it seems as though Peterson's status on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons is in doubt, though the running back himself thinks that it won't be an issue. Peterson said that he'd be ready to play this weekend and that it wasn't "in his DNA" to miss time with an ankle sprain, even before he knew the severity of it. 

Last year, Peterson had a high ankle sprain and returned for the next week, rushing for over 100 yards and three touchdowns against the Bills. The important thing to note here is that's it's a sprain, and not a fracture.

Adrian Peterson Injury Update: Peterson Expects To Keep Playing

According to Adrian Peterson, a sprained ankle will not be enough to keep him down even without knowing the severity of the sprain. Peterson is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday to reveal the extent of the sprain, but Peterson himself has stated he does not expect to miss any time:

"That's not in my DNA," Peterson said after the Vikings lost 27-21 to Oakland. "I'm going to try to get back as fast as I can and God willing, I'll be up and ready to run this weekend."

Peterson may have to rely on backup Toby Gerhart to get more carries this week against the New York Giants. Peterson leads the league with 11 touchdowns and he needs only 165 yards rushing to break Robert Smith's career club record of 6,818 yards. Peterson also dealt with a sprained ankle last season, but he came back the following week to rush for 107 yards and three touchdowns against Buffalo.

Adrian Peterson Injury: No Broken Bones; MRI Scheduled For Monday

For more news on Adrian Peterson and the rest of his Minnesota Vikings' teammates, be sure to keep an eye on The Daily Norseman.