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.

Wednesday, August 27, 10:45 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers waived running back Kimani Vidal on Tuesday, but Vidal is expected to return to the team via its practice squad, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. With Najee Harris (eye) able to avoid a trip to the NFI list, Vidal lost the battle with Hassan Haskins for the third and final running back slot on the Chargers' active roster. Los Angeles drafted Vidal in the sixth round in 2024, and he recorded 217 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 48 total touches as a rookie. The soon-to-be 24-year-old could get a second chance to make an impact with the team if a backfield injury leads to his activation from the practice squad, but he should remain off the radar of fantasy managers for the time being.