The Chargers are entering 2026 with a lot of belief behind them, and Omarion Hampton is right in the middle of it. With Mike McDaniel now in place and the offense expected to lean harder on the ground game, the second-year running back is drawing real buzz as a breakout candidate.
CBS Sports’ Douglas Clawson went a step further with his bold prediction for every NFL team, and for the Chargers he picked Hampton to win the rushing title.
"Jim Harbaugh wants to run the ball. He doesn't want to see Justin Herbert lit up for 50-60 sacks again, and he has Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back, plus additions of Jake Slaughter, Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange to the interior of the offensive line. That means Harbaugh is going to ride 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton to a rushing title."
That kind of forecast is built on what Hampton showed in flashes as a rookie, even if injuries and a battered offensive line kept him from really getting rolling. The talent was there. The runway just wasn’t.
Now the setup looks far better. A healthier offensive line and a run-first approach under McDaniel should give Hampton more room to do damage in 2026, and the Chargers are clearly expecting bigger things after taking him with the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
McDaniel recently said the team will go with the "hot hand," but the message around Hampton is hard to miss: this is his job to lose. At 23, he enters the season with the kind of opportunity that can change the conversation fast.
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Chargers Add Another Mike McDaniel Connection Fans Should Keep An Eye On
After finalizing their 53-man roster for Week 1, the Chargers turned to the practice squad for a little extra receiver depth, signing Theo Wease Jr. The move brings in an undrafted free agent from 2025 who already has a small bit of NFL experience and, just as importantly for anyone following the roster, a past connection to Mike McDaniel from his time with the Dolphins.
Weases lone game with Miami last season ended with a touchdown, a noteworthy footnote for a player still trying to carve out a larger role. For the Chargers, it is another low-risk addition to a wide receiver room that could use bodies and familiarity as the season gets underway, and another reminder that McDaniels fingerprints keep showing up in unexpected places around this roster. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Still Have One Starting Job That Could Affect Herbert Fast
The Chargers have their 53-man roster set, but one of the more important camp battles still hasnt been resolved: who opens the season at left guard. Jim Harbaugh has framed it as a two-man race between Kayode Awosika and Trey Pipkins III, with the staff even considering a setup that could involve both players. For a team built around Justin Herbert, the answer matters quickly because the protection in front of him will help shape how smoothly the offense starts.
Awosika brings a chance to claim the job on merit, while Pipkins offers a familiar option who has already spent time in a starting role. The Chargers do not appear rushed to force a decision, and this could be one of those lineup calls that gets settled before the opener or evolves as the season moves along. Either way, it remains one of the few spots on the roster where the competition still feels genuinely open. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Be Better Prepared At Center Than Fans Realize
Tyler Biadaszs season-ending injury forced the Chargers to pivot at a spot where reliability matters every snap, but the early signs around rookie center Jake Slaughter suggest the transition may be smoother than it first looked. Slaughter is set to take over the job, and he has already earned notice through a steady training camp and preseason, the kind of work that tends to matter most once the games start counting.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has been among those encouraged by what he has seen, pointing to Slaughters consistency and impressive showing throughout the summer. The Chargers will still be asking a rookie to handle plenty, but he does not appear to be doing it alone, with veteran teammates and coaches around him as he settles into a role the team now needs him to own right away. [Read more 🡒]