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Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers, Round 1, Pick 22
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Omarion Hampton with the 22nd pick of the first round.
Fantasy Football Impact for Omarion Hampton
It was always likely that Hampton would be picked in the first round, but this landing spot, although a bit of a surprise, is about as good as it can get for the rookie out of North Carolina.
Hampton is big, fast, and productive. He can catch the ball, he scores touchdowns, and he can run with power and burst. He could probably drive the bus if you asked him to, and Jim Harbaugh might.
Speaking of Harbaugh, the quarterback whisperer who nobody has it better than, all he did in his first season with the Chargers was somehow unlock more efficiency and production from a quarterback who entered the season with the most passing yards over four seasons than any quarterback in NFL history.
And how did the Guru of Goofy achieve that feat? The same way he has just about everywhere he's coached: by committing to running the football, thus drawing a career season out of the duct tape and bubble gum that holds together the body of J.K. Dobbins.
Just imagine what he will do with a back as complete, young, and non-cobbled-together as Hampton is. Sure, there are other backs on the roster that Hampton will have to deal with -- we'll talk about them in a minute -- but he is the most talented among them on day one, and it isn't particularly close. I like both Najee Harris and Kimani Vidal, maybe even a little more than your average magic football enthusiast, but neither guy is going to keep Hampton off the field. Once he gets between the lines in that Harbaugh offense, it won't be long before he's commanding the lion's share of the carries.
A complete back has landed in a system that wants, no, needs, to maximize every bit of his talent. Don't overthink it.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
It was an exciting six weeks (we'll remember it forever), but much like a Najee Harris carry, the Najee Harris Era as the Chargers' workhorse running back was short-lived. It was clear Harris wasn't the long-term plan for the Chargers when he signed a one-year deal back in March. Still, those of us with some dynasty shares were hopeful that his window of increased value might at least last until OTAs. I figured the Chargers would add some competition to the backfield this weekend, but this is about the worst-case scenario for Harris.
At best, Harris now seems poised to be the slower guy in a timeshare just like he was in Pittsburgh. The bump he might get from a system a little more friendly to his skills will evaporate once Hampton takes over the majority of the backfield touches. Harris will continue to be Harris, just in better weather.
I'm a little more concerned that Hampton is so much better than Harris that he'll quickly and completely surpass him.
Vidal is still only going into his second year, but he's looked just okay in his limited touches. He probably goes into the stash-and-pray category in dynasty leagues, if he wasn't there already.
The positives? We discussed it a little earlier, but I think this is a good thing for Justin Herbert's continued ascendancy. Harbaugh gets the most out of his quarterbacks when he protects them and provides them with a stable baseline running game that becomes explosive when needed. Hampton fits the bill, and his presence should help Herbert and Ladd McConkey get even better in year two together. Herbert still needs more receiving weapons, but Hampton's presence will have a positive impact on the young quarterback.
Stock Watch
Risers
Fallers
Overview
It's wheels up for Omarion Hampton, a dynamic runner heading to an offense that will feed off of his multi-faceted abilities immediately. He should be a starter for fantasy teams next year and a priority target in rookie drafts right now. Herbert and McConkey get a little bump from Hampton's rising tide, and Harris and Vidal, well, sink, if I can torture the maritime metaphor until it, quite simply, drowns.
For more information on the 2025 NFL Draft, check out the 2025 Footballguys Rookie Guide. An updated Version 3 will be out on Wednesday, April 30.
