Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris suffered a “superficial eye injury” during a 4th of July fireworks accident that could open the door for rookie running back Omarion Hampton. Selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the UNC product is the perfect match for head coach Jim Harbaugh’s old-school style of play. A bruising, physical runner with reliable hands and the speed to break big plays, Hampton has a bright future as the Chargers starting running back.
However, prior to the fireworks incident, Omarion Hampton was behind Najee Harris on the depth chart. While Harris never lived up to his first-round draft capital, the former Steeler is a reliable starter with a downhill running style that meshes well with Harbaugh’s coaching approach. While Harris lacks Hampton’s breakaway speed, he’s an experienced veteran who knows how to execute at the NFL level.
While Omarion Hampton will probably be the starter by the end of the season, Najee Harris had the inside track to winning the Week 1 starting job thanks to his experience in the league. However, with the veteran sidelined by injury, can Hampton take the starting job and never look back?
Fantasy Football: Omarion Hampton Outlook After The Najee Harris Fireworks Accident
The Accident Itself
Before discussing Omarion Hampton, we must first discuss what happened to Najee Harris. According to agent Doug Hendrickson, Harris’s eye injury was “superficial,” and the running back should be ready for Week 1 of the upcoming season. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t miss the offseason work.
As of this posting, nobody has revealed when Harris will return to practice. However, seeing as Chargers training camp begins on July 16th, it’s safe to assume the veteran won’t be ready for the first day of practice. This leaves Omarion Hampton as the unquestioned top option on the depth chart, and he could take advantage of this.
Some coaches let veterans reclaim their starting jobs when healthy, but we know Jim Harbaugh does not subscribe to this philosophy. After all, back in 2012, he replaced a highly effective Alex Smith with Colin Kaepernick after the former first-overall pick missed two weeks with a self-reported concussion. If Harbaugh can make a move that big, then he should have no problem swapping Najee Harris for Omarion Hampton if the rookie makes the most of his opportunities.
While there’s no way to replicate game action, Omarion Hampton can prove himself while Najee Harris is on the sidelines. Hampton has the better physical traits and the higher ceiling; he just needs to prove he can understand the playbook and won’t make rookie mistakes.
Game Action
Quite frankly, this is a difficult thing to prove on the practice field. While Hampton can improve his odds of starting with strong practices, the only way to truly win the starting job is by doing it in a game. Fortunately for Omarion Hampton, the Chargers’ first preseason game is on July 31st, and Najee Harris might not be ready for action that soon.
If Omarion Hampton can hit the ground running and usurp Najee Harris as the starting running back, he should put up a top-10 finish in fantasy football. However, that is a big ‘if.’ Given the uncertainty surrounding Harris, Hampton should probably go off the board around RB15 in redraft.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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