Who Should I Start? Kimani Vidal or Trevor Etienne

Saturday, December 13, 12:08 AM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal heads into Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs with an almost evenly split backfield, following the recent return of Omarion Hampton (14 carries for Vidal vs. 13 for Hampton). Vidal ran the ball 14 times for 44 yards (3.1 YPC) but made a notable impact with one reception for 60 yards, resulting in a 68.9% snap share. Chargers OC Greg Roman recently said he prefers a hot-hand approach, but right now, he is "seeing two guys with the hot hand," which is "a good problem to have." Although the Chiefs are more vulnerable on the ground than through the air, they still rank in the top seven in rushing yards allowed, making this a tough matchup for both backs. RotoBaller projects Vidal as RB43 this week. Given his involvement in the passing game and the team's ongoing reliance on the run due to Justin Herbert's injury, Vidal is a low-end FLEX option in deeper leagues.

Saturday, November 22, 12:31 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Trevor Etienne has essentially been a non-factor lately. He didn't log a snap in Week 10, and he played just four snaps with one carry last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie has primarily played on special teams, logging either a kick or punt return in all but one game this year. In total, he has just 20 carries for 94 rushing yards in 2025, plus two catches for an additional nine yards. He also fumbled once. Most of his volume came during Weeks 4-6 when Chuba Hubbard was banged up. As long as Hubbard and Rico Dowdle are healthy, Etienne will be a non-factor on offense. Managers should continue to patiently stash him in dynasty leagues, but they can leave him on waivers in redraft formats. That remains true in Week 12 against the San Francisco 49ers.