Plenty of eyes are on the Los Angeles Chargers this year, after postseason disasters in three of the past four seasons and a 5-12 season in between. Jim Harbaugh has leaned more on a run-oriented approach since taking control of the organization, with Omarion Hampton as a key part of that vision.
The Chargers selected Hampton with the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 draft. The North Carolina product tallied 545 rushing yards, 192 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns across his nine games played in his rookie season. From a fantasy football perspective, Hampton averaged 15.4 fantasy points per game on DraftKings scoring, which ranked 13th among running backs and 52nd among all positions. The Los Angeles running back suffered a fractured ankle in Week 5, which held him out until Week 14 to limit his output last year.
But the outlook for the Chargers’ running back has changed quite a bit across his time missed and leading into this season. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has informed the media that he expects Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell to also see regular touches in the flow of the offense. But how much does this limit the outlook for Hampton’s fantasy football outlook on the Chargers this season?
Omarion Hampton’s Fantasy Football Outlook on the Chargers:
Looking at the wider scale of the fantasy football rankings, Omarion Hampton is being selected as roughly the 13th overall pick and RB7, with some variance based on league format and scoring. He is largely being drafted in the early stages of the second round.
Dan Johnson of DraftKings Network lists Hampton as RB8 in his fantasy football running back rankings, stating:
“Hampton’s rookie season paced toward 256.7 fantasy points across 17 games. He averaged 17.3 touches and produced a 46.8% rushing success rate. Hampton also commanded 80% of Los Angeles’ attempts inside the five. Four of his nine games included at least five receptions. That combination supplies rushing authority, receiving elasticity, and touchdown ownership inside an ascending offense.
The addition of Mike McDaniel provides a new wrinkle to the outlook of Hampton and this Chargers offense. Primarily leaning on Justin Herbert and a largely vanilla play call over the past few seasons, the Chargers have still had plenty of team success. But McDaniel is one of the more creative offensive minds in football, and plenty of changes should be expected this year.
One major factor working in Hampton’s favor is his ability as a pass catcher. The 23-year-old tallied at least one reception in every matchup he was on the field, with 32 total across his nine games played. This is not a situation where Hampton will be taken off the field for passing down situations. If anything, this is a point in Hampton’s favor with his impressive 91.4% catch rate last year in mind. The creative passing plays tend to catch eyes at a greater rate, but McDaniel has a track record of turning running backs into fantasy football monsters with De’Von Achane as a clear recent example. Hampton’s receiving 80% of the snaps inside the five yard line is also a major point in his favor for his outlook this year.
His injury last season limited his total output, but Hampton flashed as a fantasy RB1 when he was on the field. In his final two games before the injury, he tallied 294 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on just 42 total touches. Vidal and Mitchell are not throwaway names and will see some sort of role on this Chargers team. But Hampton is the most talented back of the group, and the organization invested a first round pick in him to show their belief just one year ago.
Hampton will not be a full bell-cow back the way that skyrockets fantasy football value. But count on him being heavily involved in this offense across the board and having plenty of chances to showcase his skill set in the flow of the offense. He may not see the level of touches necessary to catch the true top running backs such as Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. However the conversation about best pure talent is closer than Hampton is sometimes given, and he has not been able to put this fully on display just yet.
Expect McDaniel to make a clear effort to make life easier on Herbert this season and for each running back to make their impact felt in this Chargers’ offensive attack. Hampton will see the bulk of the touches in the flow of offense, and to have a clear path to being one of the top fantasy football performers across the league. He had this success last year while the Chargers ranked 12th in the NFL in rushing yards, 25th in rushing touchdowns, and Hampton missed time due to injury. This is not a soft-tissue injury concern or a lingering issue expected to carry into this season, as he returned last season and has gotten some rave reviews in training camp.
Don’t blink at the coach speak and praise for the running backs behind Hampton in the depth chart. McDaniel will add new elements to this Chargers’ attack and will look to maximize the most talented players in the Los Angeles offense, with the star running back near the top of the conversation. Count on there being enough production for each key running back to make an impact and for Hampton to see the majority of the touches throughout this season.
Hampton is likelier to outperform his average draft slot than to underwhelm, and McDaniels’ new-look offense will provide a spark across the board for this Chargers team. Don’t be shocked if Hampton is in the conversation for the front end of the first round in fantasy football drafts this time next year, and get ahead of this upcoming statistical bump.
