Adrian Peterson to have knee surgery, expect prolonged fantasy absence

The Minnesota Vikings’ injury woes have taken a significant turn for the worse. Three days after Adrian Peterson suffered a torn meniscus, ESPN’s Josina Anderson is reporting the running back will have surgery. Anderson described the tear as a “bucket handle tear,” and said such tears often mean a minimum of three to four months on the sideline.

Fantasy impact: Peterson thinks he can return sooner than the three to four months Anderson reported, but even with his previous impressive ACL return, his absence is going to be lengthy. Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata will get the bulk of the work, but the split is unknown at this time. In Week 2, Asiata had six carries while McKinnon had two carries. The previous week, the split was four and one, respectively. McKinnon got more work in relief of Peterson last season, but the plan remains in flux for this season. Both have likely been grabbed on the waiver wire, but if either is available, we would still rank them McKinnon and then Asiata.