Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton battled through an injury-marred rookie season in 2025, playing in just nine out of 17 games. However, the 22-year-old was productive when healthy, recording 737 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 156 touches. Beyond just improved health, there are reasons to think that the offensive environment around Hampton in Los Angeles in 2026 will be enhanced. For one, Chargers offensive tackles Rashawn Slater (knee) and Joe Alt (ankle) should be back in the lineup after the two combined to play just six games in 2025. Additionally, Los Angeles will have a new play-caller after moving on from former offensive coordinator Greg Roman and hiring former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. During his tenure in Miami, McDaniel consistently showed an ability to boost running back production. Under McDaniel, Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has posted back-to-back seasons with at least 60 receptions, 1,400 scrimmage yards, and double-digit touchdowns. Fantasy managers in both redraft and dynasty formats should view Hampton as a high-upside running back option heading into 2026.
Jan 27, 2026 12:50 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's playoff contest against the New England Patriots. He had been listed as questionable and missed a pair of practices before being upgraded to a limited participant on Friday. Hampton sat out Week 18 with an ankle injury, but his absence was more of a precaution as Los Angeles rested many starters, and the rookie running back was just four weeks removed from a seven-game absence. He took a little while to get back to 100 percent after the injury, but his 81% snap share and 22 touches from Week 17 should indicate that he's back to a starter's workload. We wouldn't be surprised to see him handle another 20-plus touches against the Patriots, whose run defense started to falter down the stretch but still finished with the third-fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs in 2025.
Jan 11, 2026 7:42 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) is officially questionable for his team's Wild Card round matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday night due to an ankle injury. However, the rookie back has said he expects to play. Hampton missed a significant chunk of the regular season with a fractured ankle, so he's been battling ankle ailments since early October. When on the field, the 22-year-old has been productive. Across nine games played in the regular season, Hampton racked up 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries. However, he faces a tough matchup against New England. The Patriots finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (1,729) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed (11). Between the injury question marks and the tough matchup, Hampton profiles as a tough running back to trust for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
Jan 11, 2026 2:39 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle), who will reportedly carry a questionable tag into Sunday night's Wild-Card matchup with the Patriots, told reporters on Friday that he plans to play. Along with most of the team's starters, Hampton sat out of the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos, but he did not practice in the week leading up to that game, and he has been listed as a DNP for the first two practices heading into Wild Card Weekend. Managers participating in fantasy playoff leagues will need to monitor Friday's injury report to see if Hampton can log at least a limited session. The Patriots' run defense struggled down the stretch after a dominant start to the season, but with Milton Williams (ankle) back in the lineup following a five-game absence, the team held Miami to 2.5 yards per carry in a dominant Week 18 showing. With leading tackler Robert Spillane also expected to be available for the playoffs, Hampton could face tough sledding in his first career playoff game.
Jan 9, 2026 3:00 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) will be listed as questionable for the team's Sunday night Wild Card matchup with the Patriots. Hampton was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday after a week of missed practices leading up to the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos. Hampton had seen his usage steadily increasing from Weeks 14 through 17 after missing two months of action with an ankle injury, so his lack of practice over the past two weeks is concerning. Fantasy managers participating in playoff leagues will need to monitor the Chargers' Friday practice report to see if he can at least log a limited session before the primetime playoff game. If active, Hampton faces a challenging New England front that appears to be getting healthier at the right time.
Jan 9, 2026 2:25 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) is dressed and is going through stretches during practice on Friday, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that Hampton would be involved in practice on Thursday, but he was listed as a DNP for the second straight day this week. It's good news that the 22-year-old is back on the field on Friday, but his status is still up in the air for Sunday night's Wild-Card clash in New England against the Patriots. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the North Carolina product's official designation on L.A.'s final Wild-Card injury report. Hampton will most likely be listed as questionable, and he could be a game-time decision on Sunday evening. If he's unable to play or limited at all this weekend, Kimani Vidal would be in line for lead-back duties for the Bolts in a tough matchup on the road.
Jan 9, 2026 1:12 PM EST
Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) was listed as a non-participant at practice for the second straight day on Thursday, according to the team. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said earlier in the day that Hampton would be "involved some" in practice, but apparently that wasn't the case. The Bolts held the 22-year-old out in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos, along with a lot of their starters, but he's now officially up in the air to be ready to go for Sunday night's Wild-Card clash against the New England Patriots. We'll have a better idea of Hampton's status on Friday, but as of right now, he's a starting RB trending down in a bad matchup. If Hampton is out or limited at all this weekend, Kimani Vidal would jump into RB1 territory for the volume boost alone.
Jan 8, 2026 6:19 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) will be "involved some today" in practice on Thursday, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. "We're going to wait and see on that. He's working through his process with the medical group. He's engaged. He's ready mentally with the game plan," Roman said. The 22-year-old did not practice at all on Wednesday. It's a good sign that Hampton will be on the field on Thursday, but it still sounds like his availability for Sunday night's Wild-Card game against the New England Patriots is very much up in the air. It's especially concerning that the North Carolina product is on the injury report after being rested in the Week 18 regular-season finale. Hampton suffered a fractured ankle back in Week 5 and didn't return from IR until Week 14. On top of his injury concern, Hampton and the Chargers are facing a tough Pats run defense, making Hampton a shaky low-end RB1 in fantasy.
Jan 8, 2026 3:54 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) will not practice on Wednesday, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. The Chargers held Hampton out of the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but at the time, it was believed that the Bolts were just giving the 22-year-old rookie some rest before the start of the playoffs. A DNP in the first practice of the week as the Chargers prepare to face the New England Patriots on Wild-Card weekend, though, suggests that Hampton could have suffered a setback to his ankle that landed him on Injured Reserve earlier in the year. Hampton made the start in the Week 17 loss to the Houston Texans and scored a touchdown for the second straight week, but he averaged only 2.1 yards per carry on 14 rushing attempts. His status for Sunday against the Pats is firmly up in the air. If Hampton is ruled out, Kimani Vidal would most likely lead L.A.'s backfield.
Jan 7, 2026 3:24 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) missed the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos that secured a trip to New England to open the playoffs. Hampton spent time on Injured Reserve earlier this season with a fractured ankle, and he did not practice at all leading up to the regular season finale. However, with multiple starters held out of the game, the sense is that his absence was precautionary. In traveling to New England for a Sunday Night primetime affair, the Chargers will face a Patriots defense that is returning to health at the right time. After opening the season as one of the stingiest run defenses in the league, the Patriots have struggled of late to contain the running game but seem to be trending in the right direction. With Milton Williams back in the fold in Week 18, New England held Miami to 2.5 yards per carry. They are also expected to have leading tackler Robert Spillane back for the playoffs, while the status of run-stuffer Khyiris Tonga is still up in the air.
Jan 5, 2026 2:26 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 18's regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Hampton missed all three days of practice this week and is set to miss the eighth game of his rookie campaign. The 2025 first-round pick spent time on Injured Reserve earlier in the year with a fractured ankle, and it seems that the Chargers are just being cautious with a playoff spot already locked up. Hampton finishes the season with 124 carries for 545 yards and four touchdowns to go with 32 receptions (35 targets) for 192 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. Second-year back Kimani Vidal (neck) was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, so he should be expected to lead the backfield in Week 18 versus the Broncos if he's active. Both Vidal and Hassan Haskins (concussion) are considered questionable to play.
Jan 2, 2026 5:00 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Thursday. Hampton spent time on Injured Reserve earlier this year after fracturing his ankle. The 22-year-old hasn't had a setback that we know of, so this could just be the Chargers being cautious as they look to get their players healthy going into the playoffs next week. The Chargers already announced that they will sit quarterback Justin Herbert for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Denver Broncos, and Hampton could join him on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Kimani Vidal (neck) upgraded to a full practice on Thursday. The Bolts' backfield is in flux, to say the least, with Hassan Haskins working his way through the concussion protocol. Check back on Friday, but all signs are pointing to Hampton being held out in Week 18.
Jan 1, 2026 8:24 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice due to an ankle injury. Hampton played 83% of the offensive snaps in last Saturday's loss to the Houston Texans, touching the ball 22 times for 60 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The 22-year-old first-rounder didn't appear to be injured at all in Week 17. However, with the Chargers already expected to rest quarterback Justin Herbert in the Week 18 regular-season finale on the road in Denver against the division-rival Broncos, fantasy managers should expect a smaller workload from Hampton if he's active this weekend. All of L.A.'s offensive skill players will be much harder to trust in starting fantasy lineups if they are active with backup QB Trey Lance running the offense. It's hard to gauge the Bolts' backfield for this weekend with Kimani Vidal (neck) and Hassan Haskins (head) also banged up.
Dec 31, 2025 6:46 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton continues to separate himself as the most dynamic option in the backfield, recording an 85-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys. Averaging 5.3 yards per carry, Hampton was far more explosive than teammate Kimani Vidal, who is now dealing with a neck injury. Even if Vidal is active, the Chargers are likely to lean on Hampton against a Houston Texans defense that is more vulnerable on the ground than through the air. Houston ranks fifth in fewest rushing yards allowed, but has shown cracks against physical, efficient runners recently. With the Chargers needing to protect Justin Herbert from Houston's fierce pass rush, a heavy dose of Hampton is expected. He is a high-end RB2/FLEX option for championship week.
Dec 26, 2025 9:43 AM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton told ESPN's Dan Graziano that Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys was the "best he has felt" since returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for seven games from Week 6 to Week 13. Across three games since returning, the 22-year-old has recorded 227 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 48 touches. The Chargers held Hampton under 25 offensive snaps in each of his first two outings back from injury, but bumped his playing time up to 35 snaps in Week 16 against Dallas. Hampton could be in line for an even larger bump in playing time in Week 17 against the Houston Texans, as fellow Chargers back Kimani Vidal (neck) is considered day-to-day due to a neck strain. Hampton has been a dynamic player when healthy this season, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and 5.1 yards per touch across eight games played. He profiles as a solid fantasy RB2 with upside, even in a tough matchup in Week 17 against Houston.
Dec 24, 2025 11:58 AM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton delivered in the team's 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, rushing 16 times for 85 yards and a touchdown while averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per carry. Hampton handled 62% of the team's rushing attempts, especially after Kimani Vidal exited with a neck injury, and consistently showed more burst and decisiveness than his backfield mates. He also contributed as a receiver, adding a 10-yard catch. Heading into Week 17, Hampton could see an expanded role if Vidal misses time, though Houston presents a much stiffer challenge. The Texans rank among the top seven run defenses, allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards this season. Still, with the Chargers leaning on the ground game and Hampton's explosiveness standing out, he profiles as a volume-based RB2 with RB1 upside.
Dec 22, 2025 6:01 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton is beginning to assert himself in the backfield, leading the team with 15 carries and 54% of the rushing attempts last week. Even though Kimani Vidal ran the majority of routes and handled 100% of the two-minute offense, Hampton looked more explosive, averaging 4.1 yards per carry compared to Vidal's 2.8 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Week 16 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys is promising, as Dallas is tied for second in rushing touchdowns allowed. However, star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (concussion) is off the injury report and is expected to play, adding an extra challenge for the backfield. As Hampton moves further away from his IR stint, his role in this run-heavy scheme could grow. RotoBaller projects him as the RB23 this week. He is a high-upside RB2 who could deliver a big performance if he maintains the lead in carries.
Dec 19, 2025 8:56 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton missed seven games in the middle of the 2025 season due to an ankle injury, but he made his return to the field in Week 14. The Chargers have worked Hampton back in slowly, as he's split backfield snaps with Kimani Vidal over each of the past two weeks. Even with the limited playing time, Hampton has provided modest production. Over his last two games, the 22-year-old has recorded 132 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 31 touches. In his final two full games before suffering the ankle injury, Hampton demonstrated his explosive upside by logging 294 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 42 touches. If the Chargers continue to increase his workload as he gets healthier, Hampton could get back to his pre-injury levels of production. Los Angeles will face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16 before hosting the Houston Texans in Week 17.
Dec 16, 2025 9:50 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton continued to showcase explosiveness in the team's 16-13 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, rushing 15 times for 61 yards and leading the backfield with 54% of the carries. Hampton often looked more dynamic than Kimani Vidal, but the workload remains split, as Vidal led snaps and handled all of the two-minute offense. With the Chargers relying heavily on the run game to protect Justin Herbert, Hampton stays a part of the weekly rotation. Week 16's matchup against the Cowboys is interesting, as Dallas has improved against the run but still ranks tied for second in rushing touchdowns allowed. Hampton's ceiling is limited by the timeshare, but he remains a decent low-end RB2 or flex option in run-heavy game plans.
Dec 15, 2025 5:40 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton returned from IR last week after missing seven games with a fractured ankle. He carried the ball 13 times for 56 yards (4.3 YPC) and scored a receiving touchdown in the team's overtime win against the Philadelphia Eagles. The carries were split almost evenly with Kimani Vidal, and it's uncertain if this division will continue or if the Chargers are still gradually reintegrating Hampton into his starting role. OC Greg Roman recently said he prefers a hot-hand approach, but right now is "seeing two guys with the hot hand," which is "a good problem to have." Hampton faces the Kansas City Chiefs, who are among the top teams in rushing yards allowed. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo will aim to shut down the run and force the injured Justin Herbert to pass. Considering Herbert's recent limitations and the team's reliance on the ground game, Hampton will be a crucial part of the offense. RotoBaller ranks him as RB27 this week. Hampton is a strong, albeit volume-limited, high-end RB3 with touchdown potential in a run-heavy game plan.
Dec 13, 2025 12:03 AM EST
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