The Chargers backfield got very crowded all of the sudden
The Chargers overhauled their backfield this season with the addition of North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton at No. 22 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. He joins Najee Harris in what should be a standout backfield, albeit a potential headache for Fantasy managers.
Harris signed a one-year deal as a free agent this offseason, and the Chargers moved on from JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Harris will likely open the season as the starter, but Hampton should prove to be more talented and eventually take over as the lead rusher.
Most likely, both running backs will share touches in 2025, which is a great situation for the Chargers, but a potential problem for Fantasy managers in the short term. Long-term, Hampton should be a star, and he’s worth selecting in the top five picks of rookie-only drafts for dynasty leagues.
For the past two years at North Carolina, Hampton was dominant. He combined for 534 carries in 25 games over that span for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also added 67 catches for 595 yards and three touchdowns.
Hampton can play on all three downs, and he averaged 5.9 yards per carry. We know the Chargers want to run the ball under coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, and they should maximize Hampton’s skillset.
It’s just a matter of how much Harris and Hampton will hurt each other this season. I’m planning to draft Hampton first in the Round 5 range, with Harris a Round 6 pick at best.
I’m going to lean toward the younger talent in Hampton, who is tied to the team for at least the next four years. The Chargers could opt to run Harris into the ground, but he’s 27 and not nearly as explosive as Hampton.
The positives for Harris are he never misses a game and rarely fumbles (three in his career). He has gained at least 1,034 yards in all four years of his career and scored 28 rushing touchdowns. But he also averaged 3.9 yards per carry during his tenure in Pittsburgh.
Harris could be good for the Chargers. Hampton should be great, and he’s the Chargers running back Fantasy managers should target first on Draft Day this year.
