Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) rushes as New York Giants safety Dane Belton (24) defends during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium.

The Los Angeles Chargers dropped to 7-4 following their 35-6 blowout loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11.

They remain in the thick of the AFC playoff picture and head into their Week 12 bye week licking their wounds, hoping to heal up for a playoff push.

Rookie running back Omarion Hampton was forced to miss his sixth straight game after suffering an ankle injury in Week 5 and being placed on Injured Reserve (IR) since.

Hampton was the top running back for Los Angeles at the time of his injury, and a playmaker Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh could rely on. Hampton had accumulated a team-high 314 rushing yards before his injury. Najee Harris suffered a torn Achilles, and Hampton was expected to take on a larger workload.

The Chargers are in contention, but they'll hope their rookie can give their offense an element it's been missing for much of the season.

Here's the latest on the Chargers' rookie running back:

When will Omarion Hampton return?

The earliest Hampton could return from IR was Week 10 but he has not returned to practice.

According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, Harbaugh said that Hampton could return to practice after the Week 12 bye.

The rookie running back would need his 21-day practice window to be activated to return to the field. Once they open his practice window, the team will have three weeks to activate him back onto the 53-man roster. It does not mean an immediate return to game action.

When speaking to reporters before Week 11, Harbaugh said, "We'll make that decision next week; it all depends on how he progresses this week."

Hampton was placed on injured reserve after Week 5, which required him to be sidelined for at least four games.

The Chargers host the Raiders out of their bye in Week 13 on Nov. 30 but it remains to be seen if Hampton will be activated for the matchup.

The running back was spotted in a walking boot after the Chargers' "Thursday Night Football" game on Oct. 23.

More recently, Hampton was seen working off to the side at practice on Nov. 7 and shed the walking boot. He was then seen working on a side field again before the Chargers' Week 11 game.

Harbaugh announced the team will not practice during the bye week so he could provide a new update on Hampton as soon as Monday, Nov. 24.

Chargers RB depth chart

  • Omarion Hampton (IR)
  • Najee Harris (IR – season-ending)
  • Kimani Vidal
  • Hassan Haskins (IR)
  • Trayveon Williams (practice squad)

Kimani Vidal has stepped up and led the backfield. He leads the backfield with 96 rushing attempts for 417 yards and two touchdowns. The team recently placed Haskins on IR, further thinning the room. Trayveon Williams was called up from the practice squad for the Chargers' Week 11 game against the Jaguars and was forced into action when Vidal suffered a thigh injury.

The depth at the position is thin with Hampton sidelined, and the team is in desperate need for their first-round rookie to return to action.

The Chargers are on a bye in Week 12 and will host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 when they return.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will Omarion Hampton return? Latest injury updates on Chargers RB

Reporting by Tom Viera, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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