Sky Live: Adrian Peterson returns for Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers

Adrian Peterson makes his long-awaited return to competitive action in the NFL when the Minnesota Vikings travel to face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.

The 30-year-old running back missed 15 games last season after he was indicted on child injury charges for disciplining his son with a switch.

When Peterson takes the field at Levi's Stadium, it will be 53 weeks since carrying the ball and he is determined to remind NFL fans what made him the most feared running back of his generation.

"I'm pretty fired up," Peterson admitted. "But I am focusing on assignment and preparation leading up to the game and I am still doing a good job of keeping everything inside.

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"The sky is the limit for what we can accomplish as a team moving forward. As far as my personal goals, the first is to win a championship. That's the ultimate goal.

"And then, I always set my bar high. I am shooting for big numbers - 2,500 yards - and I want to be productive as well in the passing game."

The Vikings, who finished 7-9 last season, are a trendy playoff pick among many NFL observers.

The defence took significant forward progress last season under Mike Zimmer, hired as head coach after 14 seasons as a defensive co-ordinator in Dallas, Atlanta and Cincinnati.

Teddy Bridgewater, a 2014 first-round pick, was very impressive in his rookie campaign and Peterson is excited to link up with the former Louisville quarterback.

"Teddy, I feel like he's the key," Peterson said. "There's not too many guys that come into the league that have that talent, especially at the quarterback position.

"He's just so poised. He has a great arm. He's mature. And he's a competitor."

While optimism is the prevalent theme in Minnesota, trepidation is the dominant emotion among 49ers fans after San Francisco endured one of the most tumultuous off-seasons in recent memory for an NFL franchise.

Following an 8-8 finish, head coach Jim Harbaugh left for Michigan after reaching the NFC Championship game in his first three seasons in charge and was replaced by defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

The 49ers lost Patrick Willis, Anthony Davis, Chris Borland and Justin Smith to retirement and were forced to release Aldon Smith after he was arrested for hit and run, drunken driving and vandalism in August.

Franchise rushing leader Frank Gore and former first-round pick Mike Iupati also left in free agency.

One boost for the 49ers is the return of NaVorro Bowman, who hasn't played since suffering a brutal knee injury during the NFC championship game at Seattle in January 2014.

"I'm satisfied with how much work I've put in, how far I've come, how fast I'm able to recover coverage-wise," Bowman said.

The main bright spark for San Francisco in the preseason has been the emergence of Australian rugby league sensation Jarryd Hayne as a running back and returner.

Tomsula was asked if Australian fans tuning in to see Hayne will see their wish granted and his cryptic response suggested he will see some action.

"Well, I'll tell you what, if I was in Australia, I'd have the NFL package," Tomsula said, smiling. "I'd be watching every football game I could watch because I just love football and it's a great game."

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