After the Chargers opted not to bring back their leading rusher J.K. Dobbins from a season ago, there was a clear need at running back for Los Angeles going into 2025. They addressed that need in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting RB Omarion Hampton with the 22nd overall pick. Hampton played three seasons at North Carolina, but it was his performances in his last two seasons that got him drafted. In 2023 and 2024, Hampton recorded at least 1,500 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns per season. In both years, his yards per carry was 5.9.
So was being drafted by Los Angeles good for his fantasy stock? I think the Chargers is a great landing spot for Hampton, as he will likely slide into this offense as the starter from day one. Najee Harris is also on the team, but I would expect Hampton to get the starting nod because of where he was drafted and the fact that Harris missed a lot of the offseason due to an eye injury he sustained on the 4th of July. The rest of the Chargers’ RB room will likely feature Kimani Vidal and/or Jaret Patterson. It will be interesting to see how the touches are spread around, but I would imagine Hampton gets the majority of the carries with Najee Harris filling in on third downs.
Another reason for this being a great fit is Jim Harbaugh. Everyone knows that Harbaugh loves to run the football, and I expect 2025 to be no different. The Chargers were 13th in the NFL in rush attempts per game a season ago, and you could argue that their running back room is much better in 2025. We could see an increased emphasis on the run game in 2025, despite L.A. having a quarterback as good as Justin Herbert. The injury to Rashawn Slater is a slight knock to this offensive line, but I still think they will be a solid bunch and be able to establish a threat on the ground. Hampton joined an already proven rushing attack and will likely enter as the main guy. I’m not sure if he could’ve landed in a better spot. I expect Hampton to be a top 10 fantasy football running back in 2025.
