AdrianPeterson

News: 2 days agoPeterson rushed seven times for 18 yards while failing to catch his only target during Sunday's 20-0 loss to Carolina.

Spin: Returning to the starting role with D'Andre Swift (concussion) out of commission, the 35-year-old Peterson was unable to get anything going against a Panthers defense that previously had been gashed for the 28th-most yards per rush attempt (4.8) and the 29th-most rushing touchdowns (14) in 2020. While the Lions were disadvantaged by also playing without top receiver Kenny Golladay (hip), trusted possession option Danny Amendola (hip) and a hobbled quarterback - Matthew Stafford was toughing out a thumb injury -- it's beyond clear at this point that Peterson simply lacks the burst he once brought to the table. With that said, Detroit has Houston on deck in a Week 12 Thanksgiving Day matchup. If there's ever a setup where Peterson could eat, it's probably a home matchup against a Texans defense allowing a league-high 5.2 yards per carry, but that's only if Swift remains sidelined.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Peterson was released by Washington just prior to Week 1. Peterson ranked 17th among running backs with 898 rushing yards last season but didn't score much (five TDs) and was a nonfactor as a receiver (23 targets). Peterson is still an effective rusher at age 35, but the reigning No. 33 scoring fantasy back had zero top-10 fantasy weeks in 2019 and is a strong bet for a significant decrease in touches in 2020 regardless of landing spot.