Vikings’ Adrian Peterson Believes He’s Still The NFL’s Best Running Back

USA Today

It has been a rough road for superstar running back Adrian Peterson over the past year. The Minnesota Vikings star played in only one game during the 2014 NFL season due to off-the-field issues and now he’s ready to get back to work with the start of next season only a few months away.

Recently, NFL Network’s The Top 100 Players of 2015 was released and Peterson’s stock plummeted as expected. Although Peterson played in only one game, the veteran back still made the listed at No. 62. Peterson is using the ranking as motivation and somewhat of a compliment saying the following, via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com:

“There’s not too many players in general that miss a season and his peers vote him into the top 100,” Peterson said, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “You tell me if (LeSean) McCoy and other running backs (would) miss a season and you tell me if they would still be voted into the top 100?”

Peterson does have point as many if not all running backs that miss an entire would almost certainly be off the list the following season. Peterson went as far as to downplay any notion that he’s no longer the best back in the NFL, via Wesseling:

Even if he has no issue with his ranking, Peterson still believes he’s the best running back in the game.

Asked if he lost that mythical title after missing most of last season, Peterson quipped, “Come on now. No.”

Peterson will have much to prove during the 2015 NFL season as he tries to lead the Vikings back into the playoffs in a highly competition NFC North division. The Green Bay Packers, as expected, are the favorites to win the division title next season with -300 odds, according to Sportsbook.ag.

The Detroit Lions sit behind the Packers at +500 while the Vikings aren’t far behind Matthew Stafford and company at +700. The Chicago Bears bring up the rear after an incredibly disappointing season at +1800.