The Los Angeles Chargers’ running back, Omarion Hampton, made perhaps his most significant step toward returning from the lengthy ankle injury. The rookie opened up on his return, as the Chargers are coming off a loss to the Jaguars and a Week 12 bye.

The Chargers officially placed the designation on Hampton to start his 21-day return evaluation on Tuesday, and the running back eased back into team work a day later as a limited participant.

”I feel amazing. Just being back out there, it feels truly amazing,” Hampton said to reporters, adding the final call on game availability comes courtesy of the medical staff. Asked about his desired role, he was very firm, stating, “I hope it’s full-go.”

Hampton is back on the field, although he’s optimistic about his recovery, but his performance will determine his return. He also added that the final call will depend on the doctors.

Hampton got his chance to perform after veteran Najee Harris was out because he tore his Achilles tendon, ending his season.

That opportunity put Hampton’s blend of burst, contact balance, and pass-catching ability on full display, traits that quickly turned him into a matchup problem and reliable complement to the Chargers’ passing attack.

The ankle setback kept him shelved for weeks, forcing Los Angeles to lean on backups in order to sustain any sense of offensive continuity. Now that Hampton is out on the practice field with his teammates, coaches finally get a meaningful look at whether the rookie can realistically pick up where he’d started to make his own.

Even if the team is very conservative with its timeline, Hampton being available to ramp up in practice improves depth and opens up more schematic options for coaches. The Chargers have experimented with various backs in meaningful roles through the first portion of the season. Adding Hampton back into the mix adds a level of explosiveness and unpredictability to the opponent’s game plan.

In the five games before the injury, Hampton accumulated 314 rushing yards on 66 carries for a 4.8-yard average with two rushing touchdowns, adding 20 receptions for 136 yards. Beyond the mechanics of activation and snap counts, Hampton’s return holds broader implications. It reframes roster planning and play-calling decisions.

If Hampton looks like his early-season self, the coaching staff can confidently lean on designed runs, RPOs and formations that exploit his receiving chops.

But the team is very happy with his return, especially the Chargers quarterback.

Justin Herbert’s confidence adds fuel to Hampton’s return

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert made it known this week that he’s every bit as keyed up as the fanbase over Omarion Hampton’s imminent return. Speaking ahead of the Chargers’ Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Herbert spoke to the rookie’s toughness and impact.

”He brings a different level of energy to our team, and we saw how special he was early in the season, and he’s been battling to get back out there,” Herbert said, while addressing the media, as per Benjamin Royer of the Los Angeles Times. ”So it was just good to see him step forward and to see him back out there.”

His comments reflect the optimism of an organisation that finally opened Hampton’s return-to-play window, which positions the first-round pick to suit up potentially as early as possible.

That production is exactly why Hampton’s return could reshape the Chargers’ late-season push. Especially with Los Angeles entering a crucial AFC stretch after the bye week