Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Kimani Vidal

Friday, August 1, 4:42 PM

Philadelphia Eagles superstar running back Saquon Barkley saw a "heavy workload as a ball-carrier and a receiver" during the team's training camp practice on Friday, according to Andrew DiCecco of Inside the Birds. A heavy rushing workload is the expectation for Barkley, as he led the NFL in rush attempts (345) and rushing yards (2,005) on his way to winning the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2024. However, Barkley's receiving workload was relatively limited, as his 2.1 receptions per game was the lowest single-season mark of his career. Philadelphia has typically not utilized its running backs in the passing game during the Jalen Hurts era, but the team has also never had a running back as dynamic as Barkley. Modest reception totals are basically the only flaw in Barkley's fantasy profile, so correcting that could put him on track for a second-straight RB1 finish.

Sunday, July 13, 11:31 AM

Los Angeles Chargers running backs Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris are locked in as the team's top two RBs entering the 2025 season, which means that Kimani Vidal will have to shine in other areas in order to win the No. 3 role. Vidal showed promise as a rookie in 2024, but he will need to continue to prove himself in order to earn a spot on the 53-man active roster, according to Chargers Wire's Spencer Schultz. Specifically, his role in the passing game could be what separates himself from the likes of Hassan Haskins, Jaret Patterson and Raheim Sanders. After being taken 181st overall in the sixth round last year out of Troy, Vidal had 43 carries for 155 yards (3.6 yards per tote) and no touchdowns in 10 regular-season games, adding five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. At best, Vidal will be a bench stash for depth in deep PPR formats.