For the Los Angeles Chargers, their season has largely been defined by the brutal injury struggles they've experienced, and almost no injury has been more impactful than that of rookie running back Omarion Hampton, who has not played since Week 5 with an ankle injury.
Yet, as Hampton's return is seemingly impending, the Chargers have a serious silver lining to pull from his absence. Kimani Vidal has broken out, and, with both of them in the backfield, Los Angeles will yet again have a formidable duo to help propel their offense.
Vidal has been a surprising performer for the Chargers this season, having amassed 543 yards on 121 rushing attempts through the nine games in which he has played and having shown an ability to break loose for explosive plays throughout the course of a game. Even when Hampton returns, therefore, Los Angeles has found a solid RB2 for the remainder of the season.
The Hampton-Vidal backfield combo could help keep the Chargers' offense afloat
Heading into the season, almost no aspect of the Chargers' offense was more exciting than their backfield combination of Hampton and Najee Harris. Harris was a perennial 1,000-yard rusher who was capable of getting the team steady gains in run situations, while Hampton represented a potentially explosive threat that could complement Harris's steadiness.
Yet, the team only played three games with both of their running backs on the field, with Harris suffering an Achilles injury in Week 3 and Hampton having missed much of the action this season.
Vidal, in their absence, has largely been excellent, and his 25 carry, 126-yard performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13 showed the team yet again that he can still make an impact when he is most needed.
Still, Hampton should certainly be the lead back when he returns. Through the 66 carries he received prior to his injury, he amassed 314 yards and two touchdowns while posting a 47% success rate on his runs. Combined with his ability to catch the ball in space and serve as an additional versatile asset for the team's offense, he should get the bulk of the volume when he is ready for it.
In the meantime, however, Vidal has proved that he can fill a role as a complementary back exceptionally, and maintaining his volume while working Hampton back into the fold is not as risky of a proposition as it might have once seemed.
Therefore, if the interior of the offensive line can provide adequate protection for the rest of the season, the Chargers may be able to strike a balance that will propel their offense through this final, brutal stretch of games.