Let's cut to the chase. After missing the Vikings' past three games with a high ankle sprain, Adrian Peterson will play Sunday against New Orleans at Mall of America Field. And with that, fantasy football owners across the country breathed a big sigh of relief.

So did Peterson, who has been flooded with Twitter messages in recent weeks from fantasy nuts who have begged him to get back into action ASAP.

"They've been giving me a hard time for sure," Peterson said after practice this afternoon.

Asked what exactly fantasy owners have said to him, Peterson smiled widely.

"They'll be like, 'Should we play you this week? We need you. Please!'"

Other messages from fans and fantasy owners?

"I'll send my wife down to visit with you if you play," Peterson said. "At times it's like wow! Some of the stuff I read on there is crazy. I'm sure he was joking. Obviously he was. But it's funny. I'm just looking forward to getting back, man."

Peterson needs 128 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the fifth consecutive season and said he's felt great after the past two Vikings practices. He classified himself at 85 percent at the moment, still feeling some soreness in the ankle. But Peterson also said he doesn't feel like he will be limited with the way he runs.

"I'll be able to take the pain, whatever it is that comes with it," he said. "I'm sure that when you get into live action and get it twisted up or stepped on playing the game, I'll just have to endure that."

Peterson said he felt an extra burst when he began practice Wednesday.

"Of course you're going to feel energized because you've been off for three weeks," he noted. "But it just felt like we were starting the season again. Excited just to get back out there. That's pretty much how I felt. And that will roll over to Sunday."