The Facts: Peterson knows that it's a long road back to the field from knee surgery, especially when the operation is on a torn anterior cruciate ligament. But with his knee gradually regaining its strength and a Feb. 28 date to begin running again, Peterson isn't afraid to be optimistic about when he could play again. "Right now my goal is to be back by the first, the regular-season opener," Peterson told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Tuesday. "That's my goal."

Diehards Line:Peterson underwent ACL surgery on Dec. 30 -- a little over eight months before the start of the 2012 season. Peterson said he understands that the injury typically requires eight to nine months of rehab, but "right now, I am ahead of schedule." As previously reported, Peterson told KFAN-FM last week that he's starting to get his muscle tone and strength back into his legs and that the Vikings training staff has been "very pleased" with his progress. "Ultimately, I've got to make sure I am 100 percent before I get back out there," Peterson said, adding that he will not be conducting sprints Feb. 28. "It's going good so far. ..." And while Fantasy owners should be encouraged by the news, we'll stress one more time that the "so far" in this case is just two months. There's a long way to go.