IT'S ADRIAN PETERSON DAY

	If you have either the Bears' Adrian Peterson (above) or the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, Week 13 should be a good week for your fantasy team. AP
	REACT: Send Gary your fantasy football questions Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Make your case:

It's a good time to be named Adrian Peterson if you're an NFL running back. First, the Vikings announced that everyone's favorite, Adrian "Stinky Pete" Peterson ($5,750,000), will return to the lineup on Sunday as long as he doesn't suffer a set back with his injured knee in practice this week. Head coach Brad Childress said he will ease Peterson back into the lineup, especially with RB Chester Taylor ($7,350,000) doing a nice job while Peterson was out. Still, considering the Vikings average more than 30 rushing attempts per game, there should be plenty of work for Stinky Pete. And there's good news for "the other Adrian Peterson." Bears RB Adrian N. Peterson will take over as the starter in Chicago after Cedric Benson suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Peterson racked up 45 rushing yards, 41 receiving yards, and a touchdown in a little more than half a game after Benson got hurt against the Broncos on Sunday. He's not as powerful as Benson between the tackles, but the other Peterson is quicker and a much better pass catcher.

NFL TRIVIA CHALLENGE CHAPTER 3

The third installment of the Fantasy Wizard Trivia Challenge is a tough one, but I know my readers are up to it. Chapter 3 is inspired by poor Thomas Jones. Jones is one of my favorite NFL players. He's a tough running back who has a reputation of being one of the NFL's hardest workers. The Jets acquired him from Chicago just before last year's NFL Draft, and Jones has been solid. He has rushed for 763 yards this season, and has caught 20 passes for another 146 yards. But amazingly, Jones has yet to score a touchdown for Gang Green. If he doesn't get in the end zone during one of the final five games of 2007, Jones will most likely become the fifth player in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards from scrimmage (that's rushing plus receiving yards) in a season without scoring a single TD.

Now the question: Of the four players in NFL history who have had more than 1,000 scrimmage yards and zero TDs in a season, two of them are still active. And both of these players "accomplished" this feat in the 2003 season. To be a Trivia Challenge Champion, simply give me one of these two players.

As always, if you send a correct answer (by noon on Tuesday, December 4), I will answer any fantasy football question you ask (just submit a question along with your answer), AND give you my respect and admiration, AND officially proclaim you to be "Awesome" in next week's mailbag.

While you think about that, I'm going to open up this week's mailbag...

MAILBAG

Thursday night the Packers play the Cowboys. My quarterbacks are Brett Favre ($7,130,000) and Tony Romo ($7,650,000). Should I stick with them both?
-Jimmy, New York

It's not a bad idea, Jimmy. Obviously, both Romo and Favre are having great seasons. And while both the Packers and Cowboys have great defenses, they do have some weaknesses against the passing game. Because Terrence Newman is their only great cover man in the secondary, Big D has been torched by Tom Brady, Jason Campbell, and Eli Manning in games this season. As for the Packers, starting cornerback Charles Woodson will either miss this game with a toe injury, or he'll be playing at less than 100 percent. And even though star cornerback Al Harris might be able to contain Terrell Owens, I don't think Green Bay's safeties can hang with Cowboys TE Jason Witten. I think we'll see a shootout on Thursday night. Really, New England Patriots QB Tom Brady ($7,800,000) is the only guy I'd rather have than those two.

Do you get a prize for winning first place in your league? I am first in my league. And A-Rod won the MVP!!! Oh yeah!!!
-Jonathan, Connecticut

You sure do win a prize, Jonathan: The prize of being satisfied for a job well done. And really, is there any better prize than that? Well, maybe a Nintendo Wii is a better prize. But I don't even have a Nintendo Wii, so I'm certainly not going to give one away. So you'll have to settle for that job well done, and the knowledge that you are No. 1.

I have Jacksonville Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew ($9,840,000). Should I keep him? If not, who should I trade him for, Wiz?
-Liam, Maryland

I'll tell you something Liam: Jones-Drew has been driving me nuts this season. He just hasn't been consistent at all. Really, the problem is that the Jags insist on giving aging RB Fred Taylor ($6,330,000) more playing time than Jones-Drew. And while Taylor is good, Jones-Drew is clearly the superior player. There's a couple of bargain basement guys I think will have big games in Week 13. One is Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas ($6,200,000), who has quietly emerged as one of the NFL's top runners. He'll face a Broncos defense that has struggled to stop the run all season. And a second one is Arizona Cardinals RB Edgerrin James ($6,320,000). I'm a little more hesitant with Edge because he seems to be wearing down a little right now. But the Cardinals should be able to move the ball on the Browns struggling D, especially at home.

I just want to let you know that in the Week 12 Mailbag, somebody posed as me and asked a question that made me look all wimpy. I never write all my words in capital letters. He doesn't even know one guy on my team. Also, my cat had a litter of 23! What would you name them after?
-Chris, Oregon

There's a Chris from Oregon imposter? What nerve! I knew that email last week didn't sound like the Chris from Oregon I know. It's nice to have the real Chris back. And 23 kittens now? They're going to tear your house apart, what with the clawing and the eating and the biting. But nonetheless, here goes: Gus, Fran, Claudio, Jo-Jo, Dane, Eliza, Jo-Jo Junior, Sophie, Orville, George Jetson, Takashi, Doris, Ingrid, Sweet Gerald, Tiny, Mia, Costanza, Fingers, Dino, Ickey, Mad Max, Jonas, and Insane Ian.

Do players get extra points for being John Madden's Horse Trailer Player of the Game and things like that?
-Jacob, Texas

Nope, sorry Jacob. A player only gets points for his actual stats. Although if a guy had a good enough game to make it onto Madden's horse trailer, he probably posted some great numbers anyway.

Will you get points if your player gains yards but it gets brought back by a penalty?
-Justin, Missouri

Sorry Justin, no deal. If the play is called back for an accepted penalty, those stats gets erased. And when the stats gets erased, any fantasy points get erased too.

Should I drop Carolina Panthers RB Deshaun Foster ($5,500,000) and get Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Cadillac Williams ($5,750,000)?
-Jackson, Iowa

Getting rid of Foster is a pretty good idea at this point, Jackson. Even though he's actually running pretty well, the Panthers passing game is a mess and the team isn't moving the ball. But don't pick up Cadillac Williams. He's out for the season with a knee injury. If you're looking for someone in that price range, I'd suggest Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson ($5,750,000), Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Earnest Graham ($6,000,000), Baltimore Ravens RB Willis McGahee ($5,880,000), Dallas Cowboys RB Marion Barber III ($6,000,000), or Cleveland Browns RB Jamal Lewis ($5,870,000).

Should I keep San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers ($6,420,000) or go with Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub ($5,500,000)?
-Michael, Texas

I'd go with your hometown boy Schaub, Michael. Rivers has just been incredibly inconsistent all season. Sure, he looked great in Week 12. But it's been a long time since Rivers has put together two good games in a row. The Texans passing game really disappointed me last week, as I thought they should have lit up the Cleveland Browns. But Schaub has been solid when healthy this season: He's thrown for 200 yards or more in his eight full games, which is good enough to make him one of the top 12 or so fantasy QBs. And on Sunday the Texans visit the Tennessee Titans, who have been struggling without star defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in the lineup.

Should I keep Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker ($9,200,000)? (P.S Do you know who had the single game rushing record before Stinky Pete broke it? P.S.S No Hints!!!!)
-Nathan, Illinois

Yeah, Parker is a good player to have this week Nathan. The Steelers had some trouble moving the ball through the mud and rain last Monday night, but Fast Willie usually runs all over the Cincinnati Bengals, who will visit Pittsburgh this Sunday night. And of course the Fantasy Wizard knows whose record was broken by Adrian Peterson. Jamal Lewis, then with the Baltimore Ravens, ran for 295 yards in a game back in 2003. Who did he do it against? The team he plays for now: the Cleveland Browns.

Simple question: Are Santana Moss and Randy Moss related?
-Julian, Quebec (Canada)

Nope. No relation between Randy and Santana, Julian. However, Santana's little brother is Sinorice Moss of the New York Giants. Sinorice isn't anywhere near as good as his big brother right now, but he's super quick and could become a big part of the Giants offense in the next couple of seasons.

Yo Wizzy, did you see Maurice Jones-Drew's pancake block on Shawne Merriman?! Oh my gosh, that was crazy! And did you see the Seattle Seahawks kicker Josh Brown take down Devin Hester? Which do you think was more impressive?
-Brendan, Pennsylvania

Oh yeah Brendan, the Wizard sees all plays. Or at least most plays. As much as I loved that Jones-Drew block (that dude might only be 5' 7", but he is built like a tank!), I always get a kick out of seeing kickers or punters make good tackles. Usually those guys try to push the returner out of bounds, or just try to grab a leg and hang on for dear life. But Brown just shot through the wedge, wrapped Hester up and took him down. Not only was it a good tackle, but it was on the greatest return man of all-time! Brown even did a nice little celebration right after it. Pretty sweet!

Would you pick New England Patriots WR Randy Moss ($8,150,000) over Indianapolis Colts WR Marvin Harrison ($11,890,000)? I'm having a hard time picking. I know they're both good but I'm kind of leaning toward Moss. Can you tell me which one to pick? Thank you.
-Ian, Iowa

You're right to be leaning towards Moss, Ian. I'd take him over any receiver right now. And you're saving a bunch of money by taking him instead of Harrison. Now, Marvin is probably going to return on Sunday from his nagging knee injury. But I don't expect him to be at full strength right away. I don't see any reason to take a risk on Harrison and put him right back into your lineup.