Minnesota Vikings: Preliminary 53-man roster analysis

Dec 1, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) rushes away from Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings (26) in overtime at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Vikings win 23-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Running Back: Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Zach Line (fullback)

Adrian Peterson returns to start for the Minnesota Vikings, instantly making this unit one of the best in the business (if not the best).

With a lost season in 2014, Peterson will be coming back hungrier than ever. Just two seasons removed from a 2000-yard season, 2015 will give Peterson a chance to test Eric Dickerson’s 2,105-yard record again. Unlike in 2012, however, he’ll have a better quarterback and more complete team around him to ease the load a bit.

There’s plenty of help in the running back stable as well. Matt Asiata is a reliable backup runner who can come in and put up impressive yards per carry and is a strong receiver out of the backfield as well. He’s going to impress in limited carries after reaching a career-high 570 yards in 2014.

Zach Line is decent fullback, but isn’t going to be much of a runner for the Vikings. He showed some ability as a skill player during the preseason, but he likely won’t get many touches during the 2015 regular season. He’ll be a blocker more than anything and he needs to excel at that, paving ways for Peterson and the others.

The odd retained player here isn’t the fullback (which many teams are moving away from as a position) but that Jerick McKinnon kept his roster spot. Averaging just 1.6 yards per carry (a far cry from his 4.8 per carry last season) through the preseason, McKinnon has clearly struggled. He had 25 rushes for just 40 yards and was clearly the worst back for the Vikings.

Still, the team cut Joe Banyard to get down to 75 men and then they cut Dominique Williams after he had a couple excellent games in the preseason to get down to 53.

In this, the Vikings are hoping McKinnon gets back to form and returns to be the player they know he can be and has been in the past. If he gets back to form, he and Asiata can be an excellent combination in the backfield to complement Peterson. If not, the Vikings will have to rely more and more on Asiata and hope he can keep it up.

Next: A fast group of receivers needs to step up