Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart came up strong in a relief appearance for injured starter Adrian Peterson against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday..
Toby Gerhart puts up double-digit fantasy points in relief effort
With Adrian Peterson sidelined with a leg injury, Toby Gerhart put forth a worthwhile effort in his place. We break down the fantasy implications.
Larry French
Peterson went down in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury, and Gerhart took the rest of the snaps in his place. After finding modest chunks of yardage in relief, Gerhart’s afternoon culminated in a 41-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter while catching the Ravens defense napping. Gerhart finished with 15 carries for 89 yards and the score, despite snowy conditions.
Fantasy Spin: The bigger picture is the extent of Peterson’s injury, and whether he will miss significant time because of it. Peterson has already been battling a groin injury and has been limited in practice throughout this final stretch of the season. With the Vikings out of contention, it is not unreasonable to think Peterson could be shut down to avoid further damage.
If that's the case, Gerhart is a prime candidate to receive 15-20 touches per game going forward, and the sheer volume would make him a viable flex option. That will be the case in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles, should Gerhart get the nod.
