NFL Barometer: AP Going UP

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Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN - With a return to practice in pads Tuesday, Peterson could make an appearance in the Vikings' third preseason game as he continues his return from a torn ACL. Approaching the eight-month mark in his rehab, Peterson is ahead of schedule, but he still isn't on the receiving end of contact during practice as the immediate plan includes monitoring his ability to cut and react. As is the case with many running backs coming off the board after the first 10 picks in most drafts, Peterson is entering the season with a decent amount of risk. Comparatively, his elite ceiling outweighs the best-case scenarios for the likes of Trent Richardson, Marshawn Lynch and Matt Forte, and it's quickly becoming easier to make a case for Peterson ahead of the aforementioned backs as well as DeMarco Murray and Maurice Jones-Drew (as his holdout drags on). As the most valuable member of a rebuilding roster, the Vikings have little t

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