The Los Angeles Chargers have their starting running back.
And it's not the guy who reports a day ago indicated would have the job.
For whatever reason, headlines on Wednesday suggested that Najee Harris would be L.A.'s starting RB despite coming off a Fourth of July eye injury that kept him out for the entire preseason.
But on Thursday, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh provided clarity.
He told Rich Eisen that Omarion Hampton, the rookie out of North Carolina, will get the start Friday night in Brazil against the Kansas City Chiefs.
MORE: Derrick Henry reveals his retirement plans
That makes much more sense, and frankly may have been the outcome even if Harris had stayed healthy. Hampton is that talented and exciting.
Hampton led the ACC in rushing in each of the past two seasons.
He went for 1,504 yards and 15 TDs in 2023, then 1,660 yards and 15 TDs in 2024. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry both seasons.
Hampton was the second running back off the board in April's draft, after the Raiders got Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 overall.
MORE: Josh Allen paints a beautiful picture of a Super Bowl parade in Buffalo
The Chargers clearly felt good about Hampton, given that they had signed Harris not long before going into the draft and taking a running back anyway.
Now, he won't have to wait to prove what he can do.
The Chiefs are a major Week 1 opponent for the Chargers, with it being a chance to make a divisional statement right off the bat.
They're a long way from home down in Sao Paulo, but it's an NFL regular season debut nonetheless for Hampton, and he'll try to make the most of it.
MORE NFL NEWS:
- This Ravens rookie was a star in his college rocket club
- This Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning comparison makes a lot of sense
- Saints just signed their next Taysom Hill
- Johnny Manziel reveals crazy NSFW hatred for Cleveland Browns
- Devin Hester Jr. is great at returns, but he isn't the Bears' Hall of Famer's son
- Why Jets chose QB Justin Fields over 'celebrity' Aaron Rodgers