The Downfall of the Chargers Former Pro Bowl Running Back’s 2025 Season

As the leading team in the AFC West, the Los Angeles Chargers are feeling the loss of the infamous running back Najee Harris. Over the summer, Harris suffered from a superficial eye injury due to a Fourth of July fireworks accident. This incident left him unable to play and practice during the preseason. After being cleared and taken off the non-football injury list, Harris entered the season strong, until Sunday night’s game against the Denver Broncos. Little did he expect that during Week Three, when he took a hard blow to the ground, this was just the beginning of his season’s dramatic ending.

The Chances of His Return This Season

This virtually eliminates Harris from making a comeback in 2025. You would likely win on a scratch-off rather than watch Harris rule the turf once more this year. Harris had established a track record for resilience before this defeat; in his first four NFL seasons with Pittsburgh, he never missed a game. After just three games, the injury ended his first season with the Chargers, and he will miss significant playing time for the first time in his career. In the last year of his contract, Harris, at 27 years old, now faces an unclear future as a free agent.

With very few exceptions, such as Cam Akers or D’Onta Foreman, a torn Achilles is a season-ending injury in the NFL. Reporter Daniel Popper of The Athletic was one of the first to share this information with the public. As Harris remains out of the season, he has a long period ahead of him to reevaluate his plays and reassess his skills. The typical recovery time runs from a minimum of nine to eleven months for someone who has torn an Achilles tendon. The Chargers must act fast to keep their winning streak alive.

Who Will Fill Harris’s Shoes?

The Chargers coaches and staff have declared that the immediate replacement for Harris’s absence will be Omarion Hampton, who is a breakout rookie on the squad. Things might’ve gone sour for Harris during the game as he tumbled near Justin Herbert. There were also some positives for his teammates to display their strengths. For instance, Hampton was able to get his very first NFL touchdown during the game. He was a star player with eye-catching player stats: 129 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Additionally, this touchdown he completed was deemed the best in his overall football career. These key indicators show a promising and favorable outlook for the backfield in the near future, with Hampton as a leader.

As Hampton is expected to become a starter and will likely do the majority of the carries as a running back, other players will come to the spotlight in Harris’s absence. There are some rumors on the streets that the team may return to the leaderboard and take some time to reflect on some of their trading options. Familiar names, such as Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints, are being talked about behind the scenes, yet nothing has been confirmed. It is also important to note that there isn’t much depth behind Hampton, so Hassan Haskins is likely going to have a heavier burden. Going forward, Hampton is the obvious standout, but Kimani Vidal, from the practice squad, might be considered for assistance. Especially since he was also a previous running back during the 2024 season, he might potentially be added to the active roster as a backup.

How They Will Proceed As the Lead of Their Division

The upcoming weeks will show if the Chargers' offense can bounce back from Harris' injury and maintain its position as the best in the AFC West, as they currently stand at 3-0. As the team is looking at other possibilities, there haven’t been any official moves involving well-known trade targets. Hampton might emerge as one of the season's unexpected rookie sensations if he keeps up his current level of performance, which would give the team optimism for a strong postseason run. As his NFL journey continues to be both inspiring and uncertain, Harris's attention is now on his recuperation and future opportunities. In the wake of this most recent defeat, the Chargers will need to regroup and work together as a unit to prepare for Week Four against the New York Giants.