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USA TODAY Sports’ Joe Rivera and Chris Bumbaca break down which teams riding a hot streak could be in danger of losing this this weekend.
Omarion Hampton has been living NFL life in the passenger seat.
Stuck on the sidelines with an ankle injury, the Los Angeles Chargers‘ rookie remains weeks away from his potential return. The running back has been out since Week 5 with the injury, waiting for his chance to get back in the driver’s seat.
That seat was once occupied by Najee Harris, but the veteran suffered a torn Achilles that ended his season. Now it’s occupied by Kimani Vidal, who has certainly taken advantage of the opportunity.
Carpooling is all the rage, especially in an area known for having plenty of traffic. However, Hampton wants to get back behind the wheel at some point for the surging Chargers.
A postseason run awaits, but the rookie’s stint on injured reserve might come to an end sooner rather than later.
Here’s the latest on Hampton.
When will Omarion Hampton return?
Hampton will return in Week 13 at the earliest.
There is no exact date for that at the moment, but head coach Jim Harbaugh said the rookie isn’t expected to return until after the team’s Week 12 bye week.
Hampton was eligible to come off injured reserve in Week 10, but the team hasn’t opened his practice window yet. That would pave the way for the running back’s eventual return.
The rookie has been absent since Week 5 with an ankle injury, but was seen working off to the side at Chargers’ practice on Nov. 7. It’s a positive sign for Hampton, but doesn’t provide a clue as to when he might participate again.
He took over as the lead back after Harris suffered a torn Achilles, which ended the veteran’s season. Hampton suffered his ankle injury just two weeks later.
In the meantime, it remains the Vidal show in the backfield until Hampton returns.
Chargers RB depth chart
Depth has become a problem for the once-deep Chargers’ running back room. Vidal has stepped up to become the RB1 in Hampton’s absence, sharing the backfield with Haskins.
Even with those injuries, Harbaugh’s team has been capable of running the ball without its top two backs.