Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Omarion Hampton

Friday, September 5, 2:21 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet will enter the season backing up Kenneth Walker III. However, Charbonnet should have stand-alone fantasy value given how much he has impressed the coaching staff. Charbonnet and the Seahawks draw a solid matchup for running backs in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2024. With how highly Seattle's coaching staff has spoken of Charbonnet this offseason, a few extra carries and targets could go a long way in Week 1. Additionally, if Charbonnet continues to play at a high level, he could eat more and more into Walker's workload. It is difficult to get a feel for the split in this backfield, but reports suggest close to a 60/40 split in Walker's favor to begin the season. That split could approach 50/50 as the season wears on. You likely drafted Charbonnet as a bench player, but he should see enough work to merit flex consideration in Week 1 in a pinch.

Saturday, September 6, 12:59 AM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton rushed for 48 yards on 15 carries during Friday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught two passes for an additional 13 yards through the air. While it was promising that the Chargers trusted Hampton to handle heavy volume, his inefficiency (3.2 yards per carry) was somewhat worrisome. Going forward, it's possible that the rookie will need to score touchdowns in order to be fantasy relevant. Nevertheless, he is the clear No. 1 running back in Los Angeles, so his value will increase as he starts to face easier defenses. For example, he gets a much more favorable matchup in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders.