Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Omarion Hampton

Sunday, January 26, 6:46 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied just 32 all-purpose yards during their loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ekeler also lost a fumble. The Commanders were playing from behind throughout most of the contest, putting their rushing attack out of the game plan. However, even when Ekeler was given the ball through the air, he could not perform. He caught five of his seven targets but tallied just 17 yards. His seven targets tied him the second-most on the team, only behind tight end Zach Ertz. Throughout the season, the 29-year-old operated primarily as a change-of-pace option in the Washington backfield. Entering Sunday, Ekeler posted a strong 10.3 yards per catch and a 4.8 yards per carry. Ekeler will likely remain in this role next season as he enters the final year of his contract.

Sunday, May 4, 1:49 PM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back Omarion Hampton said on The Jim Rome Show that he believes he and Najee Harris can create "a dominant backfield" in 2025. "We know they're going to run the ball, so I'm loving it," Hampton said. The 22nd overall pick was a workhorse back in college at North Carolina and was incredibly productive for the Tar Heels with 2,033 scrimmage yards in 2024, which was the third-most in the nation. Although he won't be a workhorse immediately for the Bolts while sharing touches with Harris, Hampton should have plenty of fantasy upside immediately in a run-first L.A. offense. He averaged over 175 total yards per game in 12 contests in 2024 and was also the fourth FBS player with 1,500-plus rushing yards and 15-plus rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons since 2016.