Making the Case

• 4-Year Starter
• High-Volume Capabilities
• Tackle-Breaking Ability
• Capable Receiver
• Quality Pass-Blocker
• Athletic
• Lack of Competition
• High-Powered Offense
• RB-Friendly Scheme
• RB50 Price Tag

The odds are stacked against Kimani Vidal as a RD6 NFL Draft pick & some would even say he’s “not guaranteed a roster spot” in LA.

I believe he is – & I also believe he has a legitimate chance at leading the LA RB’s in fantasy points as a rookie.

These are the reasons why.

For starters, Kimani Vidal was a 4-year collegiate starter.

He led Troy with 101/516/4 (5.1 YPC) – as a true freshman.

& also posted 26/225 receiving.

Kimani improved with 152/701/5 (4.6 YPC) + 22/134 receiving as a sophomore.

Vidal also showed the ability to handle a very high-volume workload over his final 2 seasons.

As a junior – Vidal posted 231/1132/10 (4.9 YPC) rushing + 26/140 receiving.

As a senior – Vidal posted 297/1661/14 (5.6 YPC) + 18/201/1 receiving.

He LED THE NCAA in carries & finished 2nd in the NCAA in rushing yards.

Kimani also broke nearly 100 tackles (94) – finishing 2nd in the NCAA in that category as well.

Here’s a video breakdown from Brian Baldinger highlighting Vidal’s abilities.

Not only was Vidal a productive rusher & receiver – but he was also an excellent pass-blocker.

Vidal’s 79.3 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023 was the best of any RB in this class.

Kimani also displayed a surprising amount of athleticism at the NFL Combine.

Vidal posted a 4.46 40, 37.5” vertical, 4.15 shuttle, & 18 bench reps – at a thick 5’8”/213.

Vidal fell to RD6 as a small-school performer (& that makes him a longshot to hit) – but he couldn’t have landed in a more perfect situation.

The only other RB’s currently on the roster are:

• Jaret Patterson (former UDFA who has just 85 carries in 2 seasons)
• Elijah Dotson (former UDFA who had 4 attempts for 6 yards as a rookie)
• Isaiah Spiller (who has averaged just 2.5 YPC on 55 career carries)
• JK Dobbins (who has suffered a fractured fibula, ACL + MCL tear, Meniscus tear, Hamstring Tear, & Achilles tear)
• Gus Edwards (a 29-year old post-ACL tear vet who has cleared 150+ rushing attempts just once in his 5-year career)

We’ve seen previously-talented RB’s attempt to come back from Achilles injuries before (see Cam Akers) – & it typically doesn’t end well.

(Dobbins was PFF’s 125th ranked RB out out of 129 RB’s last year; on a small-sample of just 8 carries – but a discouraging sign nonetheless).

I would consider Gus Edwards (who’s already suffered one off-season injury) to be the only “real” competition on LA’s roster.

That’s great news for Kimani Vidal.

It’s also great news that the Chargers have been a relatively high-powered offense.

In Justin Herbert’s 4 years with the team, LA has finished:

• 18th, 5th, 12th, & 21st in PPG
• 10th, 4th, 8th, & 18th in YPG

Not to mention the arrival of HC Jim Harbaugh & OC Greg Roman.

Harbaugh notoriously “limited” JJ McCarthy’s passing attempts at Michigan while feeding RB Blake Corum (who had 258/1245/27 rushing in his final year despite coming off a Meniscus tear).

Greg Roman’s offenses have finished Top-10 in rushing attempts all 10 years he’s been an OC.

All this considered – & Kimani Vidal still remains incredibly cheap.

He’s priced as just the RB50 (!!) in redraft/RB46 in dynasty – practically FREE!

If you swing & miss – you lose almost nothing.

If Vidal ends up as LA’s RB1 (or even an involved committee-RB2) – that pricing could end up a major steal.

I am drafting LOTS of Kimani Vidal at his current ADP (I’m at 17% exposure on Underdog) & I expect his price to continue to rise as positive reports trickle out.

I would happily pay a future 3 in dynasty.

& I’ve also made a few trades to acquire him (including this one).

Kimani Vidal is my flag-plant for late-round RB’s in 2024.

& I believe he has as good a chance as anyone at emerging as this year’s James Robinson, Elijah Mitchell, Isiah Pacheco.