Adrian Peterson placed on restricted list
Adrian Peterson is officially back in limbo.
While most of the country was asleep, the news came out early Wednesday: Peterson has been placed on the exempt list, which means he'll stay away from the Vikings (for both team activities and games) while Peterson's child abuse charges are addressed.
Here's the crux of the story, from the Associated Press:
The Vikings made the announcement early Wednesday morning, about a day and a half after initially deciding that Peterson could play with the team while the legal process played out. Peterson is charged with a felony for using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son.
The Vikings came under heavy criticism for their initial stance. Several sponsors responded by either suspending their deals with the Vikings or severing ties with Peterson.
''While we were trying to make a balanced decision yesterday, after further reflection we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian,'' owners Zygi and Mark Wilf said in a statement. ''We want to be clear: we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children, and we want to be sure we get this right. At the same time we want to express our support for Adrian and acknowledge his seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community.''
The stunning reversal comes after a harrowing day on Tuesday that included the Radisson hotel chains suspending its sponsorship with the Vikings.
Castrol Motor Oil, Special Olympics Minnesota and Mylan Inc. all severed ties with Peterson, and Twin Cities Nike stores pulled Peterson's jerseys from its shelves.
In addition, Anheuser-Busch issued a strongly worded statement that said it was disappointed in the way the NFL was handling all of the negative attention surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice's assault of his then-fiancee, and Peterson's arrest for child abuse.
It's impossible to say when Peterson might be back with the Vikings, if ever.
There is no gentle or perfect way to transition this back to a fantasy column, but that's what you come here for, so please excuse the lack of a better segue. Let's just briefly mention the two primary backs the Vikings will probably use for a while.
Matt Asiata is the first man up, a 27-year-old grinder who was undrafted in his 2011 rookie class. He posted a 3.8 YPC in limited work last year, and has 15 carries for 46 yards this season. He's also caught six passes, one for a touchdown. Asiata is versatile, but has no special qualities. He was Minnesota's primary back in last week's loss to New England, while Peterson was deactivated.
Rookie Jerick McKinnon is the exciting prospect, it's just a matter of when the Vikings want to give him a try. He was a third-round pick in the 2014 draft - that price didn't mean a lot in past seasons, but teams don't attack running back like they used to. McKinnon's seen just five touches thus far this season. He posted some fancy numbers at Georgia Southern.
Asiata was owned in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues as this blog went to press, though I don't think that includes all the waiver and FAAB claims currently in the oven. McKinnon stands at 12 percent.
If you simply need a playable option in the short term, that's probably Asiata. If you are focused on the highest theoretical upside down the road, that's McKinnon.
The 1-1 Vikings play at 0-2 New Orleans on Sunday.
