Who Should I Start? Jeremy McNichols or Kimani Vidal

Friday, November 7, 7:13 PM

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols only had one carry for four yards, but he added a season-high five catches on six targets for 64 receiving yards in the Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs while playing a season-high 43% of the offensive snaps. The 29-year-old couldn't stack another strong game on top of it, though, as he played only 26% of the snaps in the Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and wasn't targeted through the air. McNichols had just one carry again for no gain. It was the first time he was held without a catch since back in Week 3. Fantasy managers definitely can't realistically treat McNichols as a starting option, but both he and Chris Rodriguez Jr. may start to see more involvement with rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt hitting a rookie wall. On the year, McNichols has only 272 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 29 touches.

Friday, November 7, 5:51 PM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal struggled against the Tennessee Titans' weak run defense, gaining only 30 yards on 12 carries, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry. This Week 10 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers presents a much tougher challenge, as the Steelers just held the league's top running back, Jonathan Taylor, to a season-low 45 yards. The Steelers have significantly improved their run defense since the first half of the season, making Vidal's chances of fantasy success highly dependent on a positive game script. With Hassan Haskins (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) still on IR, Vidal will see the volume, but if the game stays close, a pass-heavy approach could limit his rushing opportunities. Vidal is considered a mid-range RB2 and a high-floor PPR FLEX option, projected as RB17. However, his ceiling depends on the Chargers securing an early lead.