Los Angeles Chargers return from their bye week rested and ready for the final stretch of the season. Omarion Hampton has been on IR since early October after suffering an ankle injury that’s kept him out for seven weeks. Will fantasy football managers finally get their explosive rookie running back on the field again?
Omarion Hampton Injury Update
Hampton’s ankle problem occurred during the fourth quarter of the Chargers’ Week 5 loss to Washington after a defender came down on the back of his foot during a fourth-and-two attempt, forcing him to leave the contest in a walking boot. Los Angeles placed him on injured reserve the following Wednesday, which meant he would miss a minimum of four games.
The Chargers officially designated Hampton to return from injured reserve earlier this week, opening his 21-day practice window. Hampton got in a limited practice on Wednesday, marking his first official practice participation since suffering the injury in early October. The expectation should be that he will be limited all week as the coaching staff carefully manages his workload.
Ian Rapoport revealed that Hampton’s injury was not actually a high ankle sprain, but instead involved a fracture. This explains why he was sidelined for so long, far exceeding the initial four-game minimum timeframe. Hampton himself confirmed Wednesday that he has been dealing with a left ankle fracture, clarifying the extended recovery timeline that raised concerns among fans and fantasy managers.
“Omarion Hampton said he’s been dealing with a left ankle fracture. Said he wants to play Sunday but leaving it up to the doctors to clear him,” reported Kris Rhim. The fracture diagnosis makes Hampton’s lengthy stint on injured reserve make considerably more sense given the typical recovery timeline for such injuries.
Hampton looks good at practice based on reports from those in attendance. However, the expectation should be that he takes a week to ramp up before returning in Week 14. Given that he just started practicing again after nearly two months off, the prudent approach would be to give him additional time to regain his conditioning and prove the ankle can handle game action.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh has previously made optimistic comments about how the rookie’s rehabilitation has progressed. Hampton has been spotted doing conditioning work on the sidelines with trainers over the past couple of weeks. This type of field work typically signals that a player is close to returning to full practice participation.
If he can upgrade to full participation by Friday, his chances of playing Sunday increase substantially.
Hampton Fantasy Outlook
Hampton’s expected comeback faces one challenge that wasn’t present when he first went down. Kimani Vidal has looked good while handling Hampton’s responsibilities during the extended absence, especially in recent weeks against top-tier defenses.
The assumption should be that Vidal retains starting duties until Hampton gets full medical clearance, which will hopefully come this week. Even after Hampton returns, Vidal has clearly done enough to secure the RB2 role and change-of-pace work in the rotation.
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This creates a potentially tricky fantasy situation for Hampton managers. While he was the presumed starter before getting hurt, Vidal’s strong showing means Hampton might not instantly reclaim a bellcow workload when he’s activated.
Hampton will still be worth putting in lineups once he is back. If you’ve stashed him this long, now isn’t the time to bail. However, expect his initial role to be somewhat reduced as the coaching staff brings him along gradually while acknowledging Vidal’s quality production.
Fantasy managers should closely watch Hampton’s practice status once he receives his designation for return. A Week 13 return remains possible, but it is not guaranteed just yet. Once Hampton is active for Los Angeles, he can immediately slot into fantasy lineups.