Omarion Hampton has already lost two fumbles through the Chargers’ first two games. With turnovers hurting the team early this season, Hampton needs to fix his ball-security issues quickly and prove he can be trusted with a heavy workload.
Omarion Hampton has quickly become one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Los Angeles Chargers, and unfortunately, it isn’t all because of what he has done running the football.
Through the first two games of the 2026 season, Hampton has already fumbled twice and lost both of them. That is a problem the Chargers simply cannot afford to ignore, especially with the team sitting at 0-2 and struggling to eliminate the mistakes that have put them in an early hole.
Hampton’s latest fumble was particularly costly.
With the Chargers trailing the Raiders 17-14 late in the fourth quarter, Hampton had the ball knocked loose by Nakobe Dean. Jeremy Chinn recovered it and returned it deep into Chargers territory. Just a few plays later, the Raiders scored a touchdown to effectively put the game away.
It was a brutal mistake, especially considering Hampton had otherwise played one of his better games.
The second-year running back carried the ball 23 times for 94 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 21 yards. He was clearly the focal point of the Chargers’ rushing attack and showed why the team has so much confidence in him.
The problem is that the fumble wasn’t an isolated incident.
Hampton also lost a fumble in the season opener against the Cardinals. Through two games, he has two touchdowns but also two lost fumbles. That is not a sustainable ratio for a player who is expected to be a major part of the Chargers’ offense.
The good news is that it is still early. Hampton is only two games into his second NFL season and the Chargers clearly still view him as their lead running back.
But Hampton has to clean this up quickly.
The Chargers have already shown that turnovers can completely change the outcome of a game. Against the Raiders, the team had six fumbles overall, although Hampton’s was the only one they lost.
If Hampton can protect the football, there is no reason he can’t continue being one of the most important players on this offense. He has already shown that he can handle a heavy workload and make plays in the running and passing games.
Now he needs to prove that he can be trusted with the football.
The Chargers need Hampton to be a difference-maker, not a player they have to worry about putting the ball on the ground. With a difficult game against the Bills coming up, this is something that needs to be fixed immediately.
Hampton has the talent to move past these fumbling issues. Now he has to show that he can do it.
