Greg Roman Cools Omarion Hampton Fantasy Football Hype With Backfield Split Talk
Omarion Hampton has league-winner upside, but Greg Roman warns fantasy managers not to expect a workhorse role.
One of the hottest names in fantasy football circles during this draft season is Los Angeles Chargers' rookie running back Omarion Hampton. Hampton, the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, appears poised to lead the team's backfield due to being a first-round pick and facing little competition.
That's great news, since head coach Jim Harbaugh is known to be extremely fantasy-friendly for running backs. As is offensive coordinator Greg Roman, formerly the OC for the Baltimore Ravens.
Hampton seemed to get another boost in his value when Najee Harris, the former Steelers running back who signed with the Chargers this offseason to provide a veteran backfield option, had an unfortunate Fourth of July incident involving fireworks that left him with an eye injury. Now, Harris' status for Week 1 is uncertain, though he seems likely to be involved fairly early in the season.
Despite all the positives flowing in Hampton's favor, Greg Roman is trying to throw some water on the burning fire that is Hampton's draft stock in fantasy football.
"There will be rotation no matter what happens," Roman said. "The day of the one running back taking every rep, it's kinda gone the way of the prehistoric creatures."
Chargers OC Says Team Will Have a Split Backfield
Obviously, for fantasy football players, the words "split backfield" are not words they want to hear. Granted, Roman isn't wrong. Very few teams have a running back who takes more than 75% of the team's offensive snaps. In fact, only three backs hit that number last year (Kyren Williams, Chuba Hubbard and Bijan Robinson). Only 15 played at least 60% of his team's snaps, per Lineups.com.
So, is this just normal coach-speak, or something that should concern fantasy football managers? The answer, though unsatisfying, is likely that it's a little column A and a little column B.
Chargers rookie RB Omarion Hampton is a hot fantasy football target, but Greg Roman says the backfield will be a rotation, raising questions about Hampton's early-season workload.
(Imagn Images)
It was always unlikely that the Chargers, who love to run the ball, were going to lean on a 22-year-old rookie to handle the vast majority of the backfield work. That being said, Hampton is the most talented runner on the roster. Najee Harris is a bruising back, but his career 3.9 yards/carry aren't exactly inspiring.
Kimani Vidal, a player many thought would play an important role in the Chargers' offense last season, totaled just over 200 yards from scrimmage in 2024. Hassan Haskins, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has never handled more than 37 touches in a season.
While Roman's comments shouldn’t be ignored, context matters. The team might not want to overwork Hampton; Los Angeles is a team with playoff aspirations and a potentially potent offense. Traditionally, rookies tend to start slowly in the NFL as they build experience and repetitions while trying to earn their coaches' trust.
Don't be afraid to take a shot on Hampton in your fantasy football drafts, particularly if other players in your league let him slide down the board due to Roman's comments. And don't panic if he starts slowly. Know that you're getting a player who might not be a superstar in the early portion of the season, but could be a league-winner come playoff time.