The secret to the Minnesota Vikings making the playoffs last season wasn’t actually a secret. It was just Adrian Peterson. Again. Again. And Again.

Their offense isn’t changing any time soon, as Peterson has already predicted that he will run for 2,500 yards a year after he came within nine yards of the single-season rushing record. Other than Peterson, there’s not much to look at on the Vikings’ offense, given that they ranked 31st in the league last season in passing yards. Minnesota is looking to make it to the playoffs for the second year in a row, but will need Christian Ponder to step up and add another dimension to their offense.

Here is eDraft’s Minnesota Vikings fantasy preview for the 2013 season.

Christian Ponder, Quarterback

Although Ponder is only entering his third season in the NFL, his job as the starting quarterback of the Vikings is in question. Minnesota brought in Matt Cassel in the offseason, who could compete for the job should Ponder struggle. After only starting 11 games his rookie year, Ponder played in every game in 2012, completing 62 percent of his passes for 2,935 yards and 18 touchdowns. Ponder isn’t likely to score multiple touchdowns in any game, given that Peterson is the No. 1 option in the red zone, and the Vikings are far more likely to run the ball on any given play than pass. Turnovers were a problem for the 25-year-old, who threw 12 interceptions and gave up five fumbles.

Ponder just isn’t cut out to be a star quarterback in the NFL, and it shows through in the rankings. Fantasy Football Calculator’s average draft position doesn’t even have Ponder going in the top 160 picks. In a standard 12-team league, owners are better off avoiding Ponder and going after someone like Sam Bradford or Matt Schaub as a backup quarterback.

Projected stats (16 games): 60 completion percentage, 2,900 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions

Adrian Peterson, Running Back

There’s no reason why Peterson shouldn’t be the No. 1 overall pick in any draft. Peterson has run for at least 1,298 yards in five of his six seasons in the NFL, with the only season he didn’t rush for 1,000 yards coming in 2011 when he missed four games with a torn ACL. Although Peterson has set the 2,500-yard mark for himself, that seems a little out of the question. But anyone who is going to touch the ball 348 times in a season can’t be missed.

Add his 12 touchdowns to his 2,097 yards last season and you get the best player in football.

Projected stats (16 games): 2,000 rushing yards, 30 receptions, 200 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns

Greg Jennings, Wide Receiver

After trading Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks, signing Jennings this offseason became a must for the Vikings who needed to find a No. 1 receiver. Jennings is a proven veteran, entering his eighth year in the NFL but has struggled with injuries lately, missing 11 games over the course of the past two seasons. However, when he’s healthy Jennings is extremely effective, going on a three-year stretch between 2008 and 2010 when he had over 1,000 yards and a combined 25 touchdowns.

However, that was all with Aaron Rodgers throwing to him, and not Ponder. But Minnesota doesn’t have much else in terms of a receiving threat, so expect Jennings to get quite a few targets while he’s on the field. By no means is he in the top-tier of fantasy receivers, but he should definitely be drafted.

Projected stats (16 games): 60 receptions, 900 yards and five touchdowns

Jerome Simpson, Wide Receiver

Not much to mention here, considering Simpson hasn’t cracked the list of the top 64 receivers per the ADP. However, should Jennings get hit with the injury bug again Simpson would quickly become the No. 1 receiver in Minnesota, so owners should keep an eye on him. Simpson played for the Vikings last season but was suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

But when he played a full season for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011, he caught 50 passes for 725 yards and four touchdowns. In the later rounds he could be worth a handcuff for Jennings but other than that he’s not worth drafting in standard leagues.

Projected stats (16 games): 40 receptions, 700 yards and three touchdowns

Kyle Rudolph, Tight End

Tight end is incredibly shallow this year, with a huge drop-off coming after Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. Rudolph is currently seventh in ADP, making him a starting tight end. Rudolph is only entering his third year in the league, and was a touchdown producer last year, scoring nine last year, which ranked him third among tight ends. If you’re entering the seventh round and still don’t have a tight end Rudolph is certainly a viable option.

Projected stats (16 games): 50 receptions, 500 yards and eight touchdowns