The Los Angeles Chargers‘ overhaul of the coaching staff and offensive personnel this offseason makes nearly every player an intriguing case entering upcoming fantasy football drafts. Rookie RB Kimani Vidal is no exception.
Can Vidal see enough work in his rookie season to become a reliable fantasy football contributor in 2024?
Kimani Vidal’s 2024 Fantasy Outlook
- Total Fantasy Points: 115.7
- Rushing Yards: 629
- Rushing TDs: 3
- Receptions: 14
- Receiving Yards: 146
- Receiving TDs: 0
These are PFN’s consensus projections, correct as of August 15. The most up-to-date projections can be found in our Who Should I Draft Tool.
Should You Draft Vidal This Year?
From a pure prospect standpoint, I really like what Vidal brings to an NFL backfield.
Vidal plays with an exceptionally low center of gravity, has great synergy between his feet and hips — which helps him weave through traffic with crisp, efficient jump cuts and work through contact — excellent patience and flashes of good vision, reliable pass-catching chops, and is a willing combatant in pass protection.
MORE: Fantasy Team Names
During Vidal’s final year at Troy, he produced 1,661 rushing yards in his senior year, which was good for second among all FBS running backs. The Trojans’ offense ran through Vidal, and he consistently delivered the goods.
Yet, Vidal’s Day 3 draft capital doesn’t exactly scream that he was a highly-coveted back entering the NFL.
Fortunately, Vidal fell into a great spot from both a competition and scheme fit standpoint. The only backs ahead of him on the depth chart are Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Jaret Patterson, and Isaiah Spiller. No offense to the names just mentioned, but this does feel like a backfield where an unknown could potentially compete for a significant role.
Edwards is mainly an early-down thumper, Dobbins can’t stay healthy, Spiller has been a major disappointment, and Patterson is a journeyman. This ensemble feels like it could really use a star cast member to take the lead in this backfield, which gives Vidal an opportunity to emerge as a fantasy contributor.
Another factor working in Vidal’s favor is typical offensive approach we have seen from new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. They both love to run the football early, often, and always, which makes Vidal’s situation in an unsettled backfield about as ideal as it gets for a Day 3 prospect.
Yet, Edwards and Dobbins are both very familiar with this system due to their time with Roman back in Baltimore and have both proven to be productive ball carriers in the league. Sure, Edwards may be predictable, but he fits exactly what this offense wants to do in the NFL.
Vidal will have to make a positive impression on the staff to make the roster, but it is not outside of the range of outcomes for him to see an expanded role as the season progresses if he manages to flash when given opportunities early in his rookie year.
KEEP READING: Fantasy Football Strategy
Vidal’s ADP at No. 152 overall in the 13th round as the RB60 overall makes sense for a Day 3 rookie back who hasn’t shown us very much through camp. For some additional context, he is going in the same range as Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Khalil Herbert, and Braelon Allen.
To me, Vidal is certainly worth a dart throw in this range just to see how the touches and snaps shake out through the first couple of weeks of the season.
Yet, even if Vidal wins a meaningful role in this offense, I’m not sure I see him stealing goal-line work away from Edwards, which could still prevent him from becoming a top-25 option at the position even if everything goes perfectly for him in 2024.