Adrian Peterson says he'd be 'very surprised' if he wasn't ready to play by Week 1

While answering questions from reporters Wednesday afternoon, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson also said he wants to be the full-time back for Minnesota for the game vs. the Jaguars.

Peterson continues to make good progress after his gruesome ACL injury. 

When Adrian Peterson tore his ACL at the end of last season, it was thought he would be out of action for eight to nine months.

While answering questions from reporters Wednesday afternoon, Peterson said he’d be “very surprised” if he wasn’t ready to play by Week 1. Peterson also said he wants to be the full-time back for Minnesota in the game vs. the Jaguars but that he’d also be a team player and let the coaches make that decision based on his performance in practice.

Peterson said his confidence is “light years” from where it was when he first injured his knee and that he’s begun participating in cutting drills. At this point, Peterson said, he’s at about 50 percent health.

As CBSSports.com’s fantasy gurus explain, “Perhaps the biggest piece of optimism offered by Peterson is that he was allowed by trainers recently to run straight-line sprints with his teammates, and he beat them all.”

While Peterson’s presser wasn’t all that surprising, the lack of setbacks in his rehab is good news nonetheless for those who are counting on him to return in good health.

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