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When Should I Draft Kimani Vidal in 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts? Taking a look at the rookie Los Angeles Chargers running back's fantasy outlook given his role on the team.
The Chargers selected Kimani Vidal in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and he appears to have earned himself a spot on the 53-man roster after being held out of their final preseason game. Vidal is a talented RB prospect with plenty of college production at Troy.
Vidal is lodged in at RB3 on the Chargers' depth chart as things stand. While he may be better than 29-year-old Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins off of a torn Achilles, he will have to wait a few weeks before earning a fantasy-viable role due to their seniority and familiarity with Greg Roman's offense.
What will be the best spot to draft Vidal? Can he become the Chargers RB1 this season? Let's look at everything related to the rookie RB that could help you in 2024 fantasy football.
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Kimani Vidal 2024 Fantasy Outlook
The additions of Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman along with improvements within the offensive line make the Chargers' offense much more run-friendly than in years past. With Justin Herbert at the helm, they should still throw at a league-average rate but no more are the days of 600-plus pass attempts.
The Chargers RB1 could be an extremely valuable piece in fantasy but unfortunately for Kimani Vidal, that is Gus Edwards at the moment with J.K. Dobbins waiting in the wings. Dobbins is much easier to usurp after a deadly torn Achilles but he will get a fair shot early on. Vidal is capable as a receiver and rusher which gives him several outs to success on this offense if one of the top two options fails.
Also, at 5-foot-8 and 215 lbs, Vidal has the size to succeed in goal-line situations giving him plenty of upside on fantasy benches.
Los Angeles Chargers sixth-round rookie RB Kimani Vidal:
- 28 of 49 rushing yards gained after contact
- Three avoided tackles, per @TruMediaSportsSome tough running on display in his preseason debut. pic.twitter.com/EvmyUMD3VB
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 18, 2024
When Should I Draft Kimani Vidal in Fantasy Football?
The best spot to draft Vidal is after high-priority backup RBs such as Blake Corum, Trey Benson, Ray Davis, and Tyler Allgeier. If all of those backs are gone, Vidal is a viable bench stash in the range of Antonio Gibson and Braelon Allen. The name of the game with Vidal is patience. He may not earn more than a handful of snaps, let alone touches, throughout September.
Regardless, the value he could provide if he earns a larger role, particularly the receiving down role, is immense. Justin Herbert has loved his RB check-downs since college and could boost Vidal in the second half of the season.
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