Kimani Vidal — Week 3: First Carry, Then Fourth and Ten
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Vidal had his first carry of the season, 6 yards for a first down on the opening touchdown drive, and caught 1 of 3 targets for 14 yards. The fourth-and-10 throw to him with 5:14 left, down 17–13, fell incomplete and turned the ball over on downs. He returned a kickoff 30 yards, in a 24–16 loss to the Bills.
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17 to 13, Bills, five 14 left in the fourth quarter, fourth and 10 at the Chargers 45. Justin Herbert threw short right for Kimani Vidal, two yards in the air, incomplete. −2.6 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and −4.8 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. Buffalo took over at the Chargers 45 and scored six plays later.
The line: one carry, six yards, one first down; three targets, one catch, 14 yards, one first down. The carry was his first of the season: second and five at the Buffalo 13 with 12 36 left in the first quarter, left guard to the seven, on the drive that ended in Keaton Mitchell's touchdown. The catch was 14 yards short left with two 43 left in the game, down 24 to 13, out of bounds at the Buffalo 47. The other incompletion was deep left with 11 seconds left in the first half. He also returned the kickoff after Buffalo's go-ahead touchdown 30 yards, from the three to the 33.
The Chargers ran 26 designed runs: 15 to Omarion Hampton, eight to Mitchell, two to Herbert and one to Vidal. His three targets matched Mitchell's.
Back in June the preview called Vidal a watchlist for a reason that had nothing to do with his play: he led the Chargers in carries last season when Hampton was hurt, and the role belonged to a healthy Hampton and a new signing. Week 1 his name was not in the play-by-play. Week 2 it was there on a kickoff return and a tackle. Sunday he had his first carry, his first three targets, and the fourth-down throw. Three games: one carry, while Hampton and Mitchell have had 67 between them. Nothing here argues with the June read. The Chargers are at the Seahawks on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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