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Ask the Experts

Who will be the comeback player of the year?

ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Who will be the comeback player of the year?

JOSHUA SIMMONS

He wasn't injured but after being pulled from game action (personal conduct suspension) one week in, Adrian Peterson left fantasy owners in quite a lurch. Minnesota is a team on the rise, affording Peterson arguably the best supporting cast he's enjoyed since before Brett Favre helped steer their 2009 team to the NFC Championship Game. History is not on his side; running backs age 30+ and with his level of mileage have not been known to light the league on fire, after essentially taking a year off. Be that as it may, a supremely motivated Adrian Peterson is somebody who ought to be valued as a top 3 commodity in every draft.

Simmons has been a contributor for FantasySharks.com since 2007. His responsibilities include dynasty rankings, weekly projections-driven content and staff representation in various leagues.

SAM HENDRICKS

Jordan Reed. He has gone from maybe starting TE for the Redskins to de facto low end TE1 overall, if he can stay healthy. When WAS lost both Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen the starting job fell back into Reed's lap. Entering his third year he can improve on his rookie season when he had 45-499 and three TDs. Of course his current hammy injury does not bode well for this prediction, but he has a decent chance of a comeback year if he stays on the field. This offseason he has gone to a new diet, bulked up on his muscles and worked on better conditioning (stretching more believe it or not!). He has upside potential.

Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 20-plus year fantasy football veteran who regularly participates in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013. Follow him at his web site, www.ffguidebook.com.

IAN ALLAN

As I go down my overall top 50, the first two names that would satisfy those requirements are Adrian Peterson and LeSean McCoy. But I will instead speak on behalf of Roddy White and Larry Fitzgerald. They’re older receivers; they’ve lost a little speed. But they know what they’re doing, and I think they’re being undervalued in fantasy drafts. I think they both deserve to go in about the top 20 among wide receivers.

Allan is the senior writer for Fantasy Football Index. He's been in that role since 1987, generating most of the player rankings and analysis for that publication. His work can be seen in Fantasy Football Index magazine, and also at www.fantasyindex.com.

L'ROY ANTHONY HALE

I think that Adrian Peterson would be consensus choice for Comeback Player of the Year, but if you are looking for an under the radar selection, I like Doug Martin. Martin has slimmed down and looks to have regained the burst missing since his rookie year. HC Lovie Smith named him the “lead” back early in camp and while the offensive line is still a concern, the passing game and overall situation on offensive should be better with Jameis Winston under center. Three other undervalued players I believe are poised for a bounce-back year are Andre Ellington, Keenan Allen and Tyler Eifert.

Hale is the founder of the Fantasy Maxam family of websites, Fantasy Gives, Fantasy First and Fantasy Football for Females, a charitable organization that utilizes fantasy sports to support non-profit groups. For the first time ever, Fantasy Gives will turn fantasy football in to a national fundraiser where participants can win thousands of dollars in weekly prizes while supporting their favorite charity.

SCOTT SACHS

Adrian Peterson should be a lock for this. He has always been a bit arrogant, but last year's role as a whiny malcontent after his personal life was uncovered was off-putting to say the least. His relationships with his son, his family, his "charity", his fans -- all were graphically laid bare for all to see. It was pretty horrible viewing. Now, in 2015, all seems forgiven. A new contract, Teddy B has experience, TE Rudolph appears healthy, the receivers have something to prove, these factors add up to a more balanced offensive attack--which could translate into 1,200 yards and 12 TDs for AP in what may be his last productive season.

With two perfect seasons to his credit, Sachs runs Perfect Season Fantasy Football, featuring LIVE Talk & Text Consulting & Advice. He was the 2011 winner of Fantasy Index's Experts Auction league, as well as the winner of the 2012 Experts Poll. In 2013, he finished 2nd in the Auction and 3rd in the Draft league; in 2014, 3rd in the Auction league.

JAY HARDING

Sam Bradford. The former Heisman trophy winner is a competitor in the truest since of the word, not once has he complained about his string of bad luck injury-wise, rather he just keeps putting in the necessary work to get healthy and return to the field in a timely fashion. I guarantee you, he is highly motivated to show the world what he is truly capable of. Since thus far he obviously has not lived up to the No. 1 overall NFL pick hype, not to mention the $78 million greenbacks he originally signed for with the Rams. Chip Kelly runs basically the same offense that Bradford ran for four years at Oklahoma and that’s why he hand-picked Sammy boy to be an Eagle. Add to that the fact that he will be working with the same offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur that was with the Rams in Bradford's rookie year (2010) when he threw for 3,512 yards and 18 touchdowns, winning the NFL offensive rookie of the year award. Crazy enough, he also now has the same tailback that he had at Oklahoma in DeMarco Murray, they are friends and their trust of one another will benefit them both. Finally, with all due respect to Foles and Sanchez, honestly everyone knows that neither of them have near the arm strength or the accuracy that Bradford possesses and look what Kelly got out of those two, last year they combined for 4,518 yards and 27 TDs. You add all of that up and combine it, hopefully with some good fortune, health wise and I truly believe you have the makings of a special year. In my opinion, possibly a top 5 fantasy QB and the best thing about Sam Bradford fantasy wise is that you can draft him very late. I recently got him in the 15th round and also purchased him for $4 in an auction; that said his ADP is rising since camp opened. And for no extra charge if you're in a re-draft head to head playoff league the Eagles have 3 home games in weeks 14,15 and 16, Buffalo, Arizona and Washington, this is very attractive to me and should be to you as well!

Harding, owner of The Fantasy Football Firm has been playing and winning fantasy football since 1987. The Firm specializes in helping fantasy owners win in three key post-draft areas. Senior Partners at The Firm get all three publications: “Effective Team Management”, “Waiver Wire Wisdom” and “The Trade Maker” a combined 57 pages packed with sound, proven and effective strategies focused solely on helping partners win their league championships and to do so more consistently than ever before. On Twitter: @UDONTWINONDDAY.

ANDY RICHARDSON

Maybe it's because I haven't personally been burned by him the last couple of years, but I'm intrigued by Doug Martin. Charles Sims is a third-down back and Bobby Rainey is a backup, period. Martin is healthy and the unquestioned lead back in an offense that should be reasonably productive, even if it's on the wrong side of some ugly losses. He won't be as good as his rookie season, but relative to where he'll be drafted, he'll be a nice, solid starter at running back more often than not, and at a cheap price. I think we all expect Adrian Peterson to win this thing, but he's not somebody you can land at a bargain on draft day. I'll also throw out Keenan Allen as a productive guy in an offense that will probably need to throw more than it would prefer.

Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He previews all the NFL games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays during the NFL season.

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