Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was suspended without pay for the rest of the 2014 season and while he will appeal the ruling, it is likely it will be upheld and that means fantasy football owners should pickup Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata, as they will start Week 12.
According to ESPN.com, Peterson has been suspended for the rest of the 2014 season without pay and it stems from his child abuse case in Texas. Peterson reached a plea deal in that ruling, but the NFL is permitted to suspend players even when a guilty verdict isn't reached or trial does not take place under the CBA. Peterson had been on the exempt list since back in Week 2 and now he will be out for the season, although sources say to ESPN.com that he will be appealing the decision immediately.
Peterson and the NFLPA had been hoping for a fast resolution to the situation and now the appeal process will have to play out. Peterson was suspended for violating the league personal conduct policy and if the appeal holds up he will not be considered to be reinstated before April 15, 2015. Roger Goodell and the NFL made the announcement on Tuesday and the statement detailed the reasoning behind the suspension, with the league saying that it was an issue that his son was just four years old.
Goodell detailed that Peterson inflicted injury on his four year old son with a switch and called it "the functional equivalent of a weapon" and he also showed no remorse for his conduct. Peterson said that he was "confident" in his actions because of the intent of those actions, but clearly the NFL did not see things the same way. The NFLPA will appeal the suspension and now Peterson will have to wait for the process top play out again.
Peterson has played in just one game this season and he was originally on the exempt list and collected his full salary during that time. Peterson rushed for 75 yards this season and now McKinnon and Asiata will continue playing for the Vikings and fantasy owners would be wise to hold on to them or pick them up. Asiata has the higher upside since he has been the goal line back and has continued to get into the endzone repeatedly, but McKinnon has been the better overall back. McKinnon should have more yards and could score more points overall for fantasy owners.
Peterson was one of the top fantasy football picks in the league this year and owners drafted him with the intention of playing him every week. Losing Peterson is tough and now the Vikings will have to use Asiata and McKinnon and that raises a number of questions about the future. Peterson is getting paid a ton and after all the bad PR regarding this issue, there is a chance the two sides will split in the future. Peterson has a contract that is tough to trade and if the Vikings cut him, they will have to deal with some dead money.
