There are a lot of adjectives that can be used to describe Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
Explosive. Exciting. ... Funny?
That's right, fantasy football's best running back apparently does more than just run over would-be tacklers, pile up tons of yardage and score touchdown after touchdown. He's also dipping into the entertainment world. Aside from his 2010 cameo on "Entourage," Peterson is now doing his best Johnny Carson impression as a talk show host in a series of videos produced by Converge and sponsored by Power Balance that allow him to interview, well, himself.
Peterson proved to pull no punches as a host, either. He asked himself about the now infamous McDonald's incident, where an employee of the fast-food chain let him use the bathroom after hours and was fired as a result (she was ultimately re-hired). Peterson also discussed such topics as his powerful (and painful) handshakes, fantasy football and exactly why the ladies should call him "All Night" rather than "All Day."
Speaking of the ladies, Peterson even asked himself if it was time for him to date a Kardashian in a "Double Take Extra."
"[Double Take] was brought to my attention when I was in Las Vegas at an event," Peterson said. "Shaquille O'Neal did one. It was fun for me, something different, and the whole concept behind it was that you interview yourself. I got to ask questions and bring up topics that most would normally shy away from. That made it even more fun."
Whether or not comedy could be an alternative career option considering the current NFL work stoppag, remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure -- Peterson is well aware of the immense passion fans have for fantasy football. While he doesn't play in a league himself, he has plenty of friends (including a few teammates) who participate.
"I hear guys like Visanthe Shiancoe talking about it," Peterson said. "Fans even keep me posted on what I need to do to improve, so I'm into it. I get so many questions about fantasy football. People ask me for my predictions, about what I'm going to do. They want a little insight into who's playing and who's not."
Unfortunately, Peterson also felt the wrath of countless fantasy fans during a particular week last season.
After the Metrodome roof collapsed under the weight of snow following a major storm, the Vikings were forced to play the Chicago Bears at the University of Minnesota on a Monday night. Peterson had bruised his knee the previous week during a loss to the Giants, but he was able to practice the Saturday before the Bears game. The playing surface at TCF Bank Stadium was frozen and slick, however, so coach Leslie Frazier decided to keep Peterson out of the contest. That cost a lot of fantasy owners.
"I had so many fans mad at me," he said. "They thought I was playing -- it was a game-time decision -- and I didn't play and I took so much heat. I heard comments from fans saying, 'come on Adrian you could have told us you weren't playing, you could have given us a heads up.' But of course I wasn't going to say anything on Twitter about whether I was playing or not. But some of the comments people made when they lost, you know they're serious and not playing around."
While A.D. might have hurt fantasy leaguers on that frigid night in Minnesota, he's been a statistical monster overall.
The lone running back to finish in the top five in fantasy points in each of the last four seasons, Peterson is the most reliable and productive player at his position. Despite the move to a new offense under coordinator Bill Musgrave, that's not likely to change in 2011. Peterson hasn't had a chance to talk to his new OC, but he's excited about what the future holds.
"I think [Musgrave] definitely wants to establish the run, and for good reason," Peterson said. "The terminology is going to take some getting used to, but I'm sure the offense will be similar. And with our quarterback situation, the running game is going to be vital. Establishing that is going to be a big part of our offense. I don't think it's going to be totally different than what we had with Brad [Childress]."
Clearly, the Vikings will have a much different look on offense with Musgrave at the helm and Brett Favre no longer under center. But Peterson's main goal remains the same -- get to Indianapolis at the end of the season with a chance to win the Super Bowl. Tthat's something no Vikings team has ever done in the history of the franchise.
Aside from taking the Vince Lombardi trophy to the Twin Cities, Peterson also has some lofty personal goals for the upcoming season.
"As a running back, I want to get to 1,000 yards both receiving and rushing," he said. "I'd like to get 2,500 total yards. I think it's very reachable with the guys that are surrounding me. I feel like it's something that can be accomplished."
With statistical goals like that, not to mention his previous level of success between the white lines, it's going to be hard not to pick Peterson with the first overall selection in fantasy drafts. In fact, he's the top fantasy player on NFL.com heading into the 2011 campaign. With so many good quarterbacks around the league, not to mention a major increase in the number of backfield committees, taking a reliable and productive featured back like Peterson is a no-brainer.
If you want proof, just ask him.
Stepping back into the role of "Double Take" host and guest one final time, I asked A.D. to throw one more question at himself -- "Who would you take with the No. 1 pick in a fantasy draft?"
"I would take myself," he said. "I think I'm a complete back that is proven to be a hard worker on and off the field. I'm giving 110 percent every time I step on the field. I feel that makes me a pretty solid pick."
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com** or tweet it at _**MichaelFabiano**_!
