NFL

4 Week 1 Storylines to Watch: Adrian Peterson’s Return

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All Day's Return

One of the more dramatic stories in a very dramatic 2014 NFL season was the near-season long absence of Adrian Peterson, who was embroiled in legal issues. But Peterson is back in the purple uniform for the 2015 season and, to put it lightly, has a chip on his shoulder.

Peterson has openly talked about his goal to rush for 2,500 yards in the past, you know, when he was still in his 20s and prior to his suspension. But he once again brought up this goal recently as a 30-year old running back with a lot of mileage on his tires.

Now, no one in their right mind actually thinks he will achieve this goal. But keep in mind he was a mere nine yards shy of breaking the NFL single season rushing record three seasons ago. To put it short, Peterson is one of the more prolific rushers in NFL history.

Our own Joe Juan did a wonderful study on the expected career longevity of high-end running backs and when their decline in production eventually begins. Not pegged to age, the study identified 1,800 career carries as a typical point at which production drops off of a cliff. Peterson is already at 2,054.

The question is whether his recent year off will serve as a net positive in his quest to break longstanding records or whether his days as a top running back in the game are in the past.

Peterson will get his first crack at proving the doubters wrong in San Francisco this week. Needless to say, it will be fun to watch.