The Los Angeles Chargers face a welcome challenge with two productive running backs healthy and available as they pursue a playoff run. Rookie first-round pick Omarion Hampton returned to the lineup Monday night, joining Kimani Vidal in the backfield. The coaching staff must now determine how to balance their respective workloads.
How Will the Los Angeles Chargers Use Their Running Backs?
Before Hampton returned from injury ahead of the Week 14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, Vidal had plenty of momentum in the Chargers’ backfield. In their Week 13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Vidal totaled 25 carries, 126 rushing yards, and one touchdown, as the 2024 sixth-round pick found his fit in the offense.
On Thursday, offensive coordinator Greg Roman discussed how the team will handle the workload split between the two young running backs, describing it as a “fluid” situation.
“It’s so fluid,” Roman said (per ESPN’s Kris Rhim). “It could change at a drop of a hat, and I’m always going to go with the hot hand. You never know who that’s going to be. So you get into the game, you find out who’s got the hot hand, and they’ll get the bulk of the work.
“But right now I’m seeing two guys with the hot hand, so that’s a good problem to have.”
Greg Roman on the split between Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal moving forward:
“It’s so fluid. It could change at a drop of a hat and I’m always going to go with the hot hand. You never know who that’s going to be. So you get into the game, you find out who’s got the hot hand…
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) December 11, 2025
Starting his rookie season off on a high note, Hampton played in the team’s first five games and rushed for 314 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. The 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was a valuable commodity to the Chargers’ offense, adding 20 receptions and 126 receiving yards before he was lost to injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Around the topic of who has the hot hand, the Chargers played it close in their Week 14 game, with Hampton and Vidal both totaling 15 touches during their 22-19 victory over the Eagles.
Hampton rushed for 56 yards on 13 carries, adding 2 receptions for 11 yards, while Vidal’s biggest play came on a 60-yard reception. The Chargers not only have two quality running backs behind quarterback Justin Herbert, but both can also be threats as pass-catchers out of the backfield, enhancing a high-powered passing offense for Los Angeles.
Time will tell how the team manages its running back situation with just four games remaining in the regular season, all of which are significant to the Chargers’ playoff run. Currently, Los Angeles sits in second place in the AFC West and holds the fifth seed, the top wild-card spot.
