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Is Omarion Hampton out for the season? When is Omarion Hampton coming back? The latest Omarion Hampton injury update and fantasy football outlook heading into Week 9 of 2025.
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) started out his 2025 season ice cold. He was thrust into a committee backfield timeshare with RB Najee Harris (Achilles) and struggled with efficiency.
Harris then tore his Achilles tendon, and Hampton went nuclear, scoring 24.9 and 27.5 PPR fantasy points in Week 3 and Week 4. Unfortunately, he also got injured, and hasn't played in a game since.
In Week 5, he suffered a high-ankle sprain that had him eventually pulled from the game, and shortly thereafter, he was placed on injured reserve. But will he return and play again in 2025?
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Is Omarion Hampton Out for the 2025 Season?
The data we have now strongly suggests that he won't be out for the full season. But he definitely won't play in Week 9, as that's the last game he must miss due to his IR designation. Reports have indicated that he won't be ready to return in Week 10, the first game he could play in.
After his team's Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings, he was spotted in the locker room still wearing a walking boot, indicating that he's not quite close to returning. The Chargers have been incredibly tight-lipped about his aliment -- head coach Jim Harbaugh has refused to say more than he's getting better every day.
The play #Chargers Omarion Hampton was hurt on against the #Commanders LB Frankie Luvu.
“looks inadvertent to me” What say you? #RaiseHail #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/5YZmrxtQDH
— Deuce_Redzone (@redzoneinthelab) October 6, 2025
You can see where he got tripped up on this play and suffered the injury. According to my analysis, and opinions I've seen from medical professionals in the space, there's reason to be pessimistic about his return date -- primarily stemming from him still being in the walking boot.
At this point, if he were to return soon, you'd expect him to be out of it. Many NFL players return after just three or four weeks from normal high-ankle sprains, but it's possible there was a fracture or other significant ligament damage that complicated his injury.
For now, we don't know, but it's probably better to expect a return date of later rather than sooner.
Omarion Hampton 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
It's hard to say how close he'll feel to 100 percent when he returns. Many players are worked back more slowly from their injuries and not thrust straight into workhorse roles when they come back. And Hampton's backup, Kimani Vidal, has been playing very well in relief.
Kimani Vidal stats the last 4 games:
54 carries, 279 yards, 1 rush TD, 5.2 ypc, 9 rec, 40 rec yards, 1 rec TD https://t.co/evEdtZwd3V pic.twitter.com/YHjI7ovPzO— Powder Blue Blood (@pwdrblueblood) October 29, 2025
The Chargers offense is firing on all cylinders, which would normally be good news for Hampton. But upon his return, the team could stuff him into yet another committee backfield, easing the workload on his body and helping him stay healthier.
Vidal rushed 18 times for 124 yards in Week 6, averaging nearly 6.9 yards per carry, and ran 23 times for 117 yards in Week 8, averaging almost 5.1 yards per rush. He's mostly done a good job holding down the fort in the backfield while Hampton heals.
Omarion Hampton could not be tackled 😤
LACvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/tQLrvATbGU
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025
Hampton back fully healthy is a beast, though. He has excellent contact balance and power, and is in a fantastic offensive situation with a high-powered passing attack and good run-blocking... when the offensive line is healthy. They'll have more time to get healthier, though.
Hampton is a must-start when he returns to play. The upside he possesses is top-5 at his position.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 9 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Tyrone Tracy Jr., Rico Dowdle, Bam Knight, Quentin Johnston, Kareem Hunt. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 9. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
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Using The Tool. This is a simple tool, but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
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Popular Week 9 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 9 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 9 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 9 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Tyrone Tracy Jr., Rico Dowdle, Bam Knight, Quentin Johnston, Kareem Hunt compared to others:
No matching players.More Fantasy Football Analysis
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