When Jim Harbaugh took charge as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, he made one thing clear: to lead the team to a championship. Last season, the Chargers had a remarkable run, where the team reached a playoff berth. Naturally, the expectations are even higher heading into the 2025 season, and the road to Harbaugh’s bold promise will begin well in Week 1. A glimpse of that power-packed roster was seen at the training camp in El Segundo, California. However, there’s one trouble that could derail things for the coach and team.

Najee Harris has been the missing piece for the Chargers this camp. The Chargers’ # 22 recently showed up at training camp, but not in pads. Dressed in a hoodie and sporting a pair of shades, Harris stayed on the sidelines. As for the shades, those likely gave a bit of relief to the star after he suffered a superficial eye injury during a Fourth of July fireworks mishap. Soon, Harris was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list.

And while he is watching from the sidelines now, he knows what he missed, such as valuable advice, tricks, chemistry with teammates, and time under a new coaching staff. That brings us to the big question of when Harris will be back. If he’s not ready soon, it could be a real concern for the Chargers.

The Bolts radio play-by-play announcer Matt “Money” Smith explained, “They need a guy that is a threat and can pass pro and can help solidify that room without Najee. Like, it’s a big injury to Najee, man, especially the what the injury was and how it happened, man. It’s pretty no bueno, man. No bueno.” He also mentioned how the young players are put into the game, but the roster needs a veteran.

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The head coach has kept things vague when asked about the player, saying there’s no set timeline for the player to return yet. “Najee is doing good. Progressing, it’s better today than yesterday. Hopefully better tomorrow than today. He added that Harris is doing everything he can within team facilities, though his availability for practices remains uncertain,” Harbaugh said.

Meanwhile, Harris’ agent Doug Hendrickson previously maintained that the running back would be ready for Week 1. In case Harris doesn’t show up in week 1, when the team will be facing the Chiefs in Brazil, the team will have to focus on other players who can lead in the veteran running back’s absence. The Charges cannot compromise on their roster! And if anyone is taking over Harris’ place, it’s got to be Omarion Hampton.

Omarion Hampton is taking over the limelight

Now that Najee Harris is out of the picture, rookie running back Hampton has been getting a big chance. Since training camp started on July 17, he’s been practicing with the starters. “I think he’s going to be even better in pads,” Harbaugh said. He runs hard, stays low, and doesn’t slow down when he’s hit. The team hasn’t said who the main running back is yet, but rumors are that Hampton could be the top choice for now.

As seen, the coaches are using him in lots of ways. He’s running the ball, learning to block defenders during blitzes, and practicing catching passes. He’s doing well in all those things and even helping out on special teams. With Harris still not ready to return, Hampton might need to carry a big part of the offense if the coaches demand.

Still, Hampton isn’t complaining. Someone close to the team told The Athletic that, “He’s (Hampton) not asking for a break, he’s asking for more reps.”

And that’s exactly what Coach Harbaugh likes, a tough runner who gives it everything. For now, the Chargers and fans will just have to wait and see if Harris can suit up when it counts. If not, the solution for the team is quite evident unless Harbaugh comes up with a new plan to fill Harris’ gap.