Kimani

Vidal

Vidal is once again a healthy scratch as Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins split backfield duties in the run-heavy LA offense. Edwards had 11 carries to Dobbins’ 10 rushes in Week 1 against the Raiders, though Dobbins was far more effective. Edwards is likely to function as the Chargers’ goal line back.

Vidal and fellow rookie Brenden Rice headline Chargers inactives for the team’s Week 1 game against the Raiders. The Chargers backfield should be spearheaded by JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards while offseason addition Hassan Haskins is also on hand to spell the top duo.

The Chargers claimed RB Hassan Haskins (6-foot-2, 228 pounds) off waivers on Wednesday, evidently seeking a big-bodied backup to compete for rotational snaps. Patterson (5-foot-8, 195 pounds) is largely a passing-down contributor and sixth-round rookie RB Kimani Vidal (5-foot-8, 215 pounds) can theoretically play on all three downs. Vidal totaled at least 22 targets in all four seasons at Troy while earning a promising 79.3 PFF pass-blocking grade in his senior season. The Chargers’ backfield is beginning to take shape with situational backups falling into place.

Haskins played for Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2028 when when Harbaugh was at Michigan. He was released on Tuesday by the Titans after rushing for 71 yards on 23 carries in the preseason. Haskins’ signing could mean the Chargers are not entirely comfortable with rookie Kimani Vidal as their No. 3 running back. Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are expected to lead the LA backfield.

The writing was on the wall after Spiller saw extensive action in the Chargers’ final preseason game while rookie RB Kimani Vidal was inactive. With Spiller gone, Vidal should take on the RB3 role behind some combination of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. A highly productive college back, Vidal had 49 yards on 11 rushes during the preseason. He’s a long way from playing time in LA.

Vidal didn’t see a touch in the Chargers’ first preseason game but led the team in both rush attempts and rushing yards in this week’s outing. The rookie sixth-rounder saw 21 of his rushing yards come on his first two carries, one of which went for a 13-yard gain. Vidal isn’t a lock to make the roster, but he’s competing against a group of holdovers from the previous regime for the RB3 role. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Vidal win the job when all is said and done. He’d make for an interesting late-round stash in fantasy drafts behind veterans J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards if he opens the year on the 53-man roster.

This should be taken with a grain of salt, as Vidal is currently behind journeyman Jaret Patterson and second-year back Elijah Dotson, who rushed for a combined six yards last season. Vidal, who the Chargers selected in the sixth round, could very well be getting the same rookie treatment we saw for Tyler Allgeier a few years back when the Falcons listed him as the RB8 on their preseason depth chart. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards were listed as co-starters, which is unsurprising given their experience and years of success when healthy. Vidal will undoubtedly have to fight for meaningful snaps in his rookie year, but we wouldn’t expect him to be this low on the depth chart when the Chargers officially break camp.

It was Edwards’ first training camp action after undergoing an undisclosed offseason surgery and missing summer practices. Both Edwards and Dobbins saw five snaps with the Chargers’ first-team offense on Tuesday, while Kimani Vidal and the other backs worked with the second and third-team offenses. Though Dobbins has emerged as a potential lead back option in Greg Roman’s offense, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz described Edwards — who, like Dobbins, played for Roman in Baltimore — as a “bell cow” and a “finisher.” This is trending toward a split backfield between the former Ravens, with Vidal a question to make the final roster.

With Gus Edwards (undisclosed) sidelined, Patterson has been receiving first-team reps as the No. 2 behind J.K. Dobbins. It’s two practices, of course, but a needed reminder to pump the brakes on the Vidal hype (if you can call it that). Patterson pre-dates Jim Harbaugh in L.A., spending most of last season on the Chargers’ practice squad. Much like Vidal, Patterson offers something of a change-of-pace skill-set behind the Chargers’ more power-oriented top runners.

Harbaugh didn’t offer any specifics on the surgery. Edwards was dealing with an undisclosed issue earlier in the offseason but Harbaugh was confident and correct when he said Edwards would be ready for training camp. Per ESPN’s Kris Rhim, Edwards sat out of team drills today but was active in individual drills. Harbaugh told reporters that they are giving him a “longer runway” to be a full participant in training camp. For now, fantasy managers can pencil him in as the Chargers’ top back with J.K. Dobbins and rookie Kimani Vidal both vying for the RB2 role.