After erupting for 25.8 FPTS vs. the Dolphins in Week 6, Kimani Vidal came back down to earth in Week 7, finishing with just 7.5 FPTS vs. the Colts. The back only produced 35 scrimmage yards on 13 touches and while this was a letdown, Vidal still operated as the Chargers’ clear No. 1 back with Omarion Hampton (foot) still on IR.
Vidal logged 64.5% of the snaps and he saw 90% of the running back carries for Los Angeles. He rushed the ball nine times – including three red-zone carries – while backup Hassan Haskins only saw one carry. In the passing game, Vidal saw four targets on 31 routes, while Haskins saw two targets on 19 routes.
The problem for Vidal was the Chargers trailed for essentially this entire contest, so they completely abandoned their running game and threw the ball on 78.4% of their plays, which is a big difference from the team’s 64.9% pass rate for the season. This week, Los Angeles is expected to be in a positive game script as 3.5-point home favorites over the Vikings on Thursday. Plus, Haskins has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, leaving Vidal all alone in the backfield and in this situation, he is a lock for 15-20 touches.
While Minnesota is an average matchup, ranking 15th in yards per rush allowed this season (4.2), Vidal should bounce back Thursday with at least 10 FPTS and he is a rock-solid RB3/FLEX play for season-long leagues. This season, the veteran ranks ninth in YPC among running backs (5.2) and he is averaging a solid 0.93 FPTS per touch. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Vidal’s rushing + receiving yards line is at 74.5 yards and he carries the best odds to score a touchdown in this game with +115 odds.
