January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) is officially active for Sunday's playoff contest against the New England Patriots. He had been listed as questionable and missed a pair of practices before being upgraded to a limited participant on Friday. Hampton sat out Week 18 with an ankle injury, but his absence was more of a precaution as Los Angeles rested many starters, and the rookie running back was just four weeks removed from a seven-game absence. He took a little while to get back to 100 percent after the injury, but his 81% snap share and 22 touches from Week 17 should indicate that he's back to a starter's workload. We wouldn't be surprised to see him handle another 20-plus touches against the Patriots, whose run defense started to falter down the stretch but still finished with the third-fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs in 2025.
--Andersen PickardSource: Los Angeles Chargers
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end
Oronde Gadsden displayed his versatility and developed a strong connection with
Justin Herbert during the 2025 NFL season. The 22-year-old had 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. Gadsden was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers who were able to snipe him off waivers in his rookie season. Entering Wild Card Weekend, Gadsden will face a solid New England Patriots defense. The Patriots' defense allowed the fourth-fewest rushing touchdowns and the sixth-fewest rushing yards, while having one of the NFL's mild passing defenses. This could favor the Gadsden and the Chargers' passing attack. If the Chargers have a slow start running the football, they could turn Herbert's arm loose early. Gadsden could see a good number of targets against an average NFL passing defense in his first playoff game.
--Wyatt McClintockSource: NFL.com
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Quentin Johnston was on a fantasy rollercoaster throughout the 2025 regular season. Johnston started the year on a tear and finished on a high note, but in the middle of the year, his fantasy production took a large dip. The 24-year-old had 51 catches for 735 yards and eight touchdowns, missing three regular-season games due to injuries and being rested as a key starter in Week 18. Entering Wild Card Weekend, Johnston will face the New England Patriots. The Patriots' defense ranked near the middle of the league in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers in 2025, but they allowed the seventh-most touchdowns to the position. Johnston has had a knack for scoring touchdowns the last two seasons and has become a reliable red zone weapon for
Justin Herbert. In a big game, Johnston will look to be a major contributor in the red zone.
--Wyatt McClintockSource: ESPN
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Ladd McConkey was an inconsistent contributor throughout the 2025 regular season, but he'll have an opportunity to get back on track by making a big impact against the New England Patriots in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs on Sunday evening. McConkey had 66 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns through 16 regular-season games, with his lone absence coming in Week 18 as Los Angeles rested key starters. New England ranked near the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to wide receivers in 2025, but they did allow the seventh-most touchdowns to the position. The best fantasy performance of McConkey's career came against the Patriots in Week 17 of the 2024 season, as he caught eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns. New England's defense has gotten much stronger since then, but nonetheless, the second-year wideout will look to use today's game as an opportunity to get back on track.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback
Justin Herbert is well-rested coming into Wild Card Weekend after he sat out Week 18 against the Denver Broncos. Now, the Chargers open their playoff run with a road game against the AFC East champion New England Patriots. When Herbert last played 15 days ago against the Texans, He tallied 236 passing yards, 37 rushing yards, and one touchdown. However, he also took five sacks and threw an interception in that four-point loss. The interceptions have become a worrisome trend for Herbert, who has been picked off in four of his last five games. He also has five total turnovers during that span. Herbert hasn't gone back-to-back weeks without an interception since Weeks 1 and 2. He'll be tasked with protecting the football on Sunday if the Chargers have any chance of pulling off a road upset. One potential route to success for Herbert is running the football. He has 145 rushing yards in his last four games.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
January 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) is officially questionable for his team's Wild Card round matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday night due to an ankle injury. However, the rookie back has said he expects to play. Hampton missed a significant chunk of the regular season with a fractured ankle, so he's been battling ankle ailments since early October. When on the field, the 22-year-old has been productive. Across nine games played in the regular season, Hampton racked up 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries. However, he faces a tough matchup against New England. The Patriots finished the regular season ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (1,729) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed (11). Between the injury question marks and the tough matchup, Hampton profiles as a tough running back to trust for fantasy managers in playoff leagues.
--Will BradySource: RotoBaller
January 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver
Keandre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) did not practice all week and has been ruled out for Sunday night's Wild-Card playoff contest against the hosting New England Patriots. Lambert-Smith got more playing time in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos with the Bolts resting some starters, but he injured his hamstring and won't be available for the start of the postseason. The 23-year-old had a very limited role in his first year in the NFL with the Chargers, catching just five passes on 12 targets for 51 yards and one touchdown in 10 games played. Lambert-Smith's absence against the Pats could lead to some more playing time for
Tre' Harris behind
Ladd McConkey,
Keenan Allen, and
Quentin Johnston.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
January 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle), who will reportedly carry a questionable tag into Sunday night's Wild-Card matchup with the Patriots, told reporters on Friday that he plans to play. Along with most of the team's starters, Hampton sat out of the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos, but he did not practice in the week leading up to that game, and he has been listed as a DNP for the first two practices heading into Wild Card Weekend. Managers participating in fantasy playoff leagues will need to monitor Friday's injury report to see if Hampton can log at least a limited session. The Patriots' run defense struggled down the stretch after a dominant start to the season, but with Milton Williams (ankle) back in the lineup following a five-game absence, the team held Miami to 2.5 yards per carry in a dominant Week 18 showing. With leading tackler Robert Spillane also expected to be available for the playoffs, Hampton could face tough sledding in his first career playoff game.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Ian Rapoport
January 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) will be listed as questionable for the team's Sunday night Wild-Card matchup with the Patriots. Hampton was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday after a week of missed practices leading up to the team's Week 18 loss to the Broncos. Hampton had seen his usage steadily increasing from Weeks 14 through 17 after missing two months of action with an ankle injury, so his lack of practice over the past two weeks is concerning. Fantasy managers participating in playoff leagues will need to monitor the Chargers' Friday practice report to see if he can at least log a limited session before the primetime playoff game. If active, Hampton faces a challenging New England front that appears to be getting healthier at the right time.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Adam Schefter
January 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) is dressed and is going through stretches during practice on Friday, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that Hampton would be involved in practice on Thursday, but he was listed as a DNP for the second straight day this week. It's good news that the 22-year-old is back on the field on Friday, but his status is still up in the air for Sunday night's Wild-Card clash in New England against the Patriots. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the North Carolina product's official designation on L.A.'s final Wild-Card injury report. Hampton will most likely be listed as questionable, and he could be a game-time decision on Sunday evening. If he's unable to play or limited at all this weekend,
Kimani Vidal would be in line for lead-back duties for the Bolts in a tough matchup on the road.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chargers.com - Eric Smith
January 8, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Kimani Vidal could have a significant role on offense on Wild-Card weekend when the Bolts face off against the New England Patriots on Sunday night, as rookie RB
Omarion Hampton (ankle) has yet to practice this week due to an ankle injury. Hampton was rested in the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the Denver Broncos, but he may have aggravated an ankle injury that landed him on Injured Reserve earlier this year. When Hampton was on the shelf, Vidal filled in nicely as a replacement RB1 for L.A., reaching the 100-yard mark three times while also scoring double-digit half-PPR fantasy points five times. The matchup against New England on the road is not a good one for the Chargers' running game behind a patchwork offensive line, but Vidal's increased volume alone as the RB1 would boost him to high-end RB2 territory in fantasy if Hampton isn't cleared to play.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
January 8, 2026
Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Chargers rookie first-round running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) was listed as a non-participant at practice for the second straight day on Thursday, according to the team. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said earlier in the day that Hampton would be "involved some" in practice, but apparently that wasn't the case. The Bolts held the 22-year-old out in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos, along with a lot of their starters, but he's now officially up in the air to be ready to go for Sunday night's Wild-Card clash against the New England Patriots. We'll have a better idea of Hampton's status on Friday, but as of right now, he's a starting RB trending down in a bad matchup. If Hampton is out or limited at all this weekend,
Kimani Vidal would jump into RB1 territory for the volume boost alone.
--Keith HernandezSource: Los Angeles Chargers
January 8, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that rookie first-round running back
Omarion Hampton (ankle) will be "involved some today" in practice on Thursday, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. "We're going to wait and see on that. He's working through his process with the medical group. He's engaged. He's ready mentally with the game plan," Roman said. The 22-year-old did not practice at all on Wednesday. It's a good sign that Hampton will be on the field on Thursday, but it still sounds like his availability for Sunday night's Wild-Card game against the New England Patriots is very much up in the air. It's especially concerning that the North Carolina product is on the injury report after being rested in the Week 18 regular-season finale. Hampton suffered a fractured ankle back in Week 5 and didn't return from IR until Week 14. On top of his injury concern, Hampton and the Chargers are facing a tough Pats run defense, making Hampton a shaky low-end RB1 in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
January 8, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers running back
Kimani Vidal only handled three rushing attempts for 12 yards and caught one pass for a two-yard loss in the Week 18 regular-season finale versus the Denver Broncos, despite the team resting rookie
Omarion Hampton (ankle). Hampton did not practice on Wednesday and might have aggravated an ankle injury that landed him on Injured Reserve earlier this season. With Hampton's status uncertain for the Wild-Card game on Sunday night against the New England Patriots, the 24-year-old Vidal could become more interesting for fantasy playoff lineups. However, the matchup isn't a great one, with New England allowing the fourth-fewest half-PPR points per game to opposing RBs in 2025. Still, a big volume increase for Vidal if Hampton is out would put him in the RB2 conversation. Vidal filled in nicely as the Bolts' lead back with Hampton hurt this year, and he posted three 100-yard games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
January 8, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Keenan Allen was the team's leading receiver in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Denver Broncos and he caught seven passes, his most since a season-high 11 grabs back on Oct. 19. However, Allen had just 36 yards on Sunday with backup quarterback
Trey Lance getting the starting nod with the Bolts resting
Justin Herbert. The week prior, the 33-year-old Allen had just one catch for 17 yards in the loss to the Houston Texans. Allen has not scored since Week 7 and hasn't gone over 50 receiving yards in a contest since Week 11 against the Jaguars. He is a trustworthy security blanket for Herbert, the problem is that L.A.'s beat-up offensive line doesn't give Herbert much time to find his receivers. All of the Chargers' wideouts are shaky fantasy options going into the postseason against a Patriots defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest half-PPR points per game to WRs in the last five weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pro Football Reference
RADIO
