RADIO
Keaton Mitchell Missing Another Practice
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) was not practicing on Thursday during the portion open to the media, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Mitchell was working off to the side with a trainer, and he has now missed six straight practices. It is unclear what the 24-year-old is dealing with as the start of the 2026 regular season quickly approaches, and Mitchell's status for the Week 1 contest on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Arizona Cardinals is now in question. If Mitchell is limited or out to begin the year, second-year back Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal will both have higher fantasy ceilings against Arizona. A former undrafted free agent from East Carolina, Mitchell played in just 26 games (two starts) in his first three NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens due to injuries, although he has always been an intriguing big-play threat out of the backfield with explosive tendencies. When Mitchell, Hampton, and Vidal are all healthy in 2026, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel plans for them all to have a role, although Hampton is the clear favorite to lead the Bolts in backfield touches. Mitchell's fantasy ceiling and floor will not be very high unless Hampton misses time with an injury, but Mitchell himself must get healthy first. RotoBaller has him ranked as the RB46.
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Omarion Hampton Set Up for Year 2 Breakout
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton enters Year 2 with a setup that looks a lot friendlier than the one he had as a rookie. Hampton was limited to nine games by ankle injuries in 2025, but still rushed for 545 yards and four touchdowns while catching 32 passes for 192 yards and another score. Mike McDaniel is now running the offense, and Hampton spent camp looking like a natural fit. He was one of the standouts in the joint practice with San Francisco, running through defenders and earning praise from Justin Herbert. The line is not completely worry-free after Tyler Biadasz suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are both back in the starting group after missing major time last year. Hampton also sits first on the depth chart ahead of Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal. RotoBaller has pushed him all the way to RB6 and No. 11 overall in its Sept. 2 half-PPR rankings. If he stays healthy, the breakout case is getting harder to ignore.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Keaton Mitchell Continues to Miss Practice
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) missed a fourth straight practice on Monday with an undisclosed injury, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Mitchell was seen working off to the side with a trainer. It does not sound like a serious injury, and the 24-year-old will have all of next week to return to practice before the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 13. Still, it is something to keep an eye on for the Chargers' backfield, as both Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal could be in line for bigger roles if Mitchell is limited or out to begin the season. For what it is worth, general manager Joe Hortiz said that he thinks Mitchell will be active next weekend against the Cardinals. Hampton, who is entering his second season, is the Bolts' clear lead back, but new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel could ride the hot hand with Hampton, Mitchell, and Vidal on a week-to-week basis. Mitchell has explosive abilities out of the backfield, but volume will be a concern, and he has played in just 26 games (two starts) in his first three NFL seasons due to injuries. Fantasy managers should consider Mitchell an interesting late-round handcuff or depth piece for RB depth. RotoBaller has him ranked as the RB46 for 2026.
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Kimani Vidal the Chargers' Best Pass-Protector?
Bolt Beat's Alexander Insdorf noted that running back Kimani Vidal is probably the best pass protector in the Los Angeles Chargers backfield. Omarion Hampton still has to prove he is the better pass blocker until he takes that title away from Vidal. The Chargers running back room remains one of the most monitored situations by fantasy managers heading into draft weekend. The team is expected to roster Hampton, Vidal, and Keaton Mitchell (knee) this season. All three backs offer fantasy appeal and will have a role in the Chargers' offense under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. McDaniel has said all three backs will be used and he will use a "hot hand" approach. With three backs fighting for snaps, Vidal could find his way onto the field on obvious passing downs if he is viewed as the best pass protector out of the three. If this happens, Vidal could be fantasy relevant this season outside of being a handcuff to Hampton.
Source: Bolt Beat - Alexander Insdorf
Source: Bolt Beat - Alexander Insdorf
Omarion Hampton Set to Break Out in His Sophomore Season
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton is eyeing a breakout year in 2026. The 23-year-old is coming off an injury-riddled rookie season, where he finished as the RB12 in fantasy points per game (15.1) out of running backs who played in at least nine games. This season he will have an improved offensive line to run behind and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to run for. McDaniel has produced a top-5 fantasy running back in each of the last three seasons, with four running backs averaging over 17 fantasy points per game. Additionally, McDaniel weaponized the running back position in Miami with De'Von Achane seeing 85-plus targets, 480-plus receiving yards, and catching at least four receiving touchdowns in each of his last two seasons. Hampton has had a strong offseason and received praise from his coaches all summer. It is within his range of outcomes this season to finish as a top-five running back in fantasy football.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gregory Desrosiers Puts Solid Production on Tape in Preseason Finale
Playing primarily with the third-team offense, Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Gregory Desrosiers led all players with 118 rushing yards on only nine carries in Thursday night's preseason loss to the Rams. The undrafted free agent out of Memphis bounced off a pair of would-be tacklers early in the fourth quarter for a 34-yard touchdown run and caught one of his two targets for an additional eight yards, but unless Keaton Mitchell's undisclosed injury, which has been described as a "mild setback" stretches into the regular season, Desrosiers may still find himself on the wrong side of a numbers crunch. The Chargers have a deep and versatile room with the free agent acquisition Mitchell joining 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton and the team's leading rusher from a season ago, Kimani Vidal. Still, ahead of Sunday's roster cutdown, Desrosiers was at least able to put solid production on film for any teams in search of running back depth.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Keaton Mitchell Suffers a "Setback"
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell (undisclosed) has missed two straight training camp practices, and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said he had a "setback," according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Mitchell is set to have a role in McDaniel's offense in 2026 on a weekly basis alongside Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal, but it is unclear if his recent setback will put him in any danger of missing Week 1 of the regular season against the Arizona Cardinals. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent from East Carolina latched on with the Baltimore Ravens and spent his first three years in the NFL with the Ravens, but he managed to play in only 26 games (two starts) due to injuries, recording 767 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 121 carries. Mitchell is highly explosive when healthy, but his lack of pass-catching skills in a committee approach in L.A. in 2026 will severely cap his fantasy upside if both Hampton and Vidal stay healthy. In half-PPR formats, RotoBaller has Mitchell ranked as the No. 42 fantasy RB for 2026 in his first year with the Bolts.
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Source: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
Kimani Vidal Operates as the Chargers RB3 in Their Second Preseason Game
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal had four carries for six yards in his team's 41-17 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Vidal also had two catches for 10 yards on two targets. The 24-year-old entered the game with the second-team unit and played the rest of the first half. Vidal operated as the third back in the rotation and didn't get playing time until after Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell were pulled. McDaniels' plan for his running back rotation becomes a little clearer with how much the three backs have played and, more specifically, when they played during the game. Vidal looks to be utilized as the No. 3 back in the three-man rotation. With fantasy drafts ramping up, he should be viewed as a handcuff back in the later rounds.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Omarion Hampton Gets All Three Snaps with Chargers First-Team Offense
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton took all three snaps with the first-team offense in Thursday's 41-17 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Hampton was removed with the rest of the starters after a quick three-and-out on the team's opening drive. The 23-year-old had one carry for a loss of a yard that began their offensive drive. Hampton's fantasy stock took a boost on Thursday after being the only back to play with the first team. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has hinted at using all three running backs during the regular season and riding the "hot hand" in games, but Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal only played with the backups. Mitchell ran with the second team, and Vidal played well into the second half. Hampton should remain a trendy draft target in the first 15 picks of fantasy drafts, and could see his ADP sneak into the late first round by early September.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Keaton Mitchell Is Becoming a Sneaky Late-Round Target
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell has a little more separation in the race behind Omarion Hampton. The Chargers' current depth chart lists Mitchell second at running back, with Kimani Vidal on the next line, and Mitchell was involved early Thursday night before a 21-yard catch was wiped out by penalty. The 5-foot-8, 191-pound back doesn't need many touches to change a game. He ran for 341 yards on 59 carries last season, averaged 5.8 yards per attempt and added nine catches for 63 yards. Los Angeles also noted that Mitchell led the NFL in average run speed in 2025 at 14.49 mph and had 11 runs of at least 10 yards. Mike McDaniel has already said he expects to use Hampton, Mitchell and Vidal every week and could ride the hot hand, so this isn't a clean backup situation. Hampton still leads the room. Mitchell just looks like the best bet for the change-of-pace work right now, and his speed gives him enough standalone upside to stay interesting late in deeper redraft drafts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Omarion Hampton Sets the Tone in Joint Practice
The Los Angeles Chargers hosted the San Francisco 49ers for a joint practice on Tuesday, and the loudest ovation of the day came on a tone-setting run from second-year running back Omarion Hampton. Reportedly welcoming contact all day, Hampton drew the attention of onlookers and teammates alike by plowing through 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown during a full-team drill, later earning the praise of quarterback Justin Herbert. "He's incredibly tough. He leads by example and doesn't say much, but what he does on the field is so loud," Herbert told reporters after practice. "Guys respect him and it's so cool to hand him the ball and see what he's able to do. He's an incredible athlete, incredible competitor and I'm glad he's on my side of the ball." Hampton missed eight games as a rookie with an ankle injury, but a popular breakout candidate in a revamped Chargers offense, he is RotoBaller's RB11 in 2026.
Source: Eric Smith & Omar Navarro
Source: Eric Smith & Omar Navarro
Omarion Hampton's Redraft Value in Question Amid Workload Uncertainty
Los Ángeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton had his rookie season in 2025 disrupted by an ankle injury that caused him to miss eight games. Still, the former first-round pick was productive in his time on the field, recording 737 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 156 touches across nine contests. Entering 2026, expectations are high for both Hampton and the Chargers offense as a whole following the team's offseason acquisition of new play-caller Mike McDaniel. With his versatile skill set as both a rusher and a pass-catcher, Hampton has three-down workhorse upside. However, the Chargers signed running back Keaton Mitchell in free agency and also roster running back Kimani Vidal, who filled in admirably for Hampton at times in 2025. McDaniel has already said that the team plans on using all three backs once the regular season begins. Hampton has the highest ceiling of the Chargers' running back options, so he could quickly establish himself as too good to take off the field. At the same time, his redraft value for the 2026 season is trending slightly downwards until the playing time split in Los Angeles becomes more clear.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kimani Vidal Starts Chargers' Preseason Opener
Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal started Thursday's preseason opener against the Houston Texans, but his night was brief. Vidal carried five times for eight yards and did not catch his only target before the Chargers moved on to the rest of the backfield. Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell did not play. That difference is worth noting after Los Angeles spent much of camp talking up all three backs. The Chargers' current depth chart now has Mitchell second behind Hampton, with Vidal listed on the third line alongside Amar Johnson. Vidal proved last season that he can handle a bigger workload when needed, rushing for 643 yards and three touchdowns on 155 carries while making 10 starts. Mike McDaniel has also said he plans to use Hampton, Mitchell and Vidal during the regular season. Vidal should still have a role, but Thursday's usage was another sign that he may be entering the year behind Mitchell in the pecking order.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Keaton Mitchell's Preseason Absence Hints at Prominent Role?
Los Angeles Chargers running back Keaton Mitchell did not play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Houston Texans, joining Omarion Hampton, Justin Herbert and several other established starters on the sideline. That could be another clue that Mitchell has a real role waiting for him in Mike McDaniel's offense. The Chargers' current depth chart lists the 24-year-old second behind Hampton, and McDaniel has already said he plans to use all three of his top backs during the regular season. Mitchell gives the group something different with his speed. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 59 attempts for Baltimore last season and has averaged 6.3 yards per rush for his career. Nothing about sitting out one preseason game guarantees a major workload, but the Chargers apparently didn't need to see Mitchell in game action while evaluating the rest of the backfield. For a player who has never topped 59 carries in a season, that's an encouraging sign that his workload could grow in Los Angeles.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mike McDaniel to Ride the Hot Hand With Chargers' Backfield?
When asked to give more clarity on the division of touches in his backfield going into the 2026 season between running backs Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell, and Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel told Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue that "if a player is playing really well, I'm not going to take them out." McDaniel also said earlier this week that he plans to "use all three" of Hampton, Mitchell, and Vidal every week. The Chargers will no doubt have different game plans from week to week based on their opponent, but when all is said and done, Hampton, a first-rounder in 2025, should lead this backfield in opportunities. The North Carolina product only played in nine regular-season games a year ago due to injuries, and he finished with 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries, adding 32 receptions for 192 yards and another score. Still, the presence of both Mitchell and Vidal will give fantasy managers pause if they have the chance to select the 23-year-old Hampton in the early rounds. Ideally, fantasy managers can get Hampton as a high-end RB2.
Source: NFL Daily Podcast - Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue
Source: NFL Daily Podcast - Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue
