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Running Back · Los Angeles Chargers

Kimani Vidal — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Shawn's rank: RB73Bye 7Updated July 30, 2026

Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.

Selected by the Chargers in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Vidal was a workhorse at Troy across four seasons, accumulating 4,710 combined yards, 34 touchdowns, and 92 receptions on 873 touches. He announced himself as a legitimate contributor in 2021 with 1,132 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 231 carries, then took another leap in 2023 with a standout campaign of 1,661 yards and 14 touchdowns on 297 attempts, adding 18 catches for 201 yards and a score. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry throughout his college career.

At 5'8" and 215 pounds, Vidal is compact but powerful, and his 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine checked in above the positional average, adding some athleticism to his stocky frame. He's not yet where he needs to be in pass protection, which could limit his role on passing downs early in his career, but he's a capable receiver out of the backfield and shouldn't be a liability when targeted.

As a runner, Vidal is patient and instinctive — he reads blocks well, waits for his moment, and has the burst to exploit a gap once it opens. He's a grinder between the tackles who runs with physicality and can shed arm tackles to squeeze out extra yards in space. His tools are there for a productive, complementary role in the right system.

In his rookie season, the Chargers gave him 43 rushes for 155 yards (3.6 YPC) with some chances to catch the ball (5/62/1).

The injury to Omarion Hampton led to Vidal having an active RB1 role for half of 2025. He gained 100 combined yards in five contests, highlighted by four productive fantasy days in PPR formats (22.80, 19.70, 17.80, and 20.70). On his down games, Vidal scored fewer than 10.00 fantasy points in seven matchups. His first four weeks of last season came on the Chargers’ practice squad.

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