Los Angeles Chargers 90-Man Roster Spotlights: Kimani Vidal
Kimani Vidal, born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2001, had a successful high school career that saw himself earning a three-star recruit status, eventually committing to the Troy Trojans football program.
While here, Vidal became one of the program's great runners, earning a long list of accolades with the highest honor being named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. His four-year career allowed Vidal to rush for 4010 yards and 33 touchdowns, with his redshirt junior season leading the conference in rushing with 1661 yards.
After this immensely productive season, Vidal was NFL-ready and was drafted by the Chargers in the sixth-round in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Chargers RB Kimani Vidal Roster Info, Background
The Los Angeles Chargers were highly praised for the selection of Vidal, with some individuals in the fantasy community taking the hype sky high...all for a sixth-round rookie runner. Vidal played as well as you would expect for a sixth-round player in his rookie season, collecting 155 yards on 43 carries for 3.6 yards per attempt.
This was also coupled with some struggles in pass protection, disallowing the Chargers to have plenty of trust in Vidal for the following seasons...unless improvement occured.
Exactly this happened, as Vidal became the Chargers' leading rusher in 2025. However, beyond the initial lack of faith from the 2024 season, Vidal was not even on the Chargers' active roster to begin the season. He was eventually elevated from the practice squad due to Omarion Hampton's injuries, and Vidal never looked back.
Vidal was called upon for 10 starts, playing so well that the Chargers are now likely to view Vidal as a key weapon for Mike McDaniel's 2026 offense.
2025 Season Stats
13 Games
155 Carries
643 Yards
3 Touchdowns
4.1 Yards per Attempt
16 Catches
136 Receiving Yards
Obvious Improvement in Pass Protection
Measurables
Contract Status
"Kimani Vidal signed a 1 year, $1,075,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including an average annual salary of $1,075,000. In 2026, Vidal will earn a base salary of $1,075,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,075,000." - Spotrac
Kimani Vidal's 2026 Season Outlook
For the 2026 season, all Chargers offensive players are expected to be much better, with the hiring of a new offensive coordinator, McDaniel. This may be a bit different for Vidal, as his playtime was a result of injuries occurring ahead of him, but his great play has at least warranted himself a role in what is expected to be a great offense in 2026. Expect Vidal to both make the roster and make a true impact for the Super Bowl hopeful Chargers.
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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 6:00 AM.