Chargers running back Omarion Hampton will be placed on injured reserve, coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday, meaning the rookie first-round pick will be out for at least the next four games.
Late in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-10 loss to Washington, Hampton came up limping after colliding with a Commanders pass rusher. After the game, the running back rode by the Chargers’ locker room on the back of a golf cart, wearing a protective boot on his left foot. Harbaugh declined to elaborate on the situation in his postgame comments.
However, Harbaugh revealed Monday that Hampton will be out for at least a month.
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Sam Farmer breaks down what went wrong for the Chargers in their 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
Hampton, a University of North Carolina standout selected 22nd overall last spring, rushed for 44 yards in 12 carries Sunday and had six receptions for 26 yards.
“He’s been getting in a really good rhythm, playing really well,” Harbaugh said. “Special player. That was an unfortunate occurrence.”
The Chargers, who play Sunday at Miami, are looking to halt a two-game losing slide. They had put more on the shoulders of their rookie running back after losing veteran Najee Harris to a torn Achilles tendon in the second quarter of a Week 3 victory over Denver.
The team is already dealing with a slew of injuries along the offensive line and needs a reliable running game to take pressure off of quarterback Justin Herbert, who was hit a combined 21 times in the past two games.
In a Week 4 loss at the New York Giants, Hampton ran for 128 yards in 12 carries, including a 54-yard touchdown run.
Harbaugh said the Chargers will turn to reserve running backs Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal and Amar Johnson and “look at other avenues as well.”
The Chargers are coming off a loss in which they got off to a 10-0 lead before surrendering 27 unanswered points. They have been penalized 24 times in the past two games.
“In really all phases, every group’s got fingerprints on it, every position group, every coach,” Harbaugh said. “We’re all looking at that, wall to wall, going back, seeing every way we can attack and be better.”