The 2025 NFL preseason officially got underway last Thursday with the Los Angeles Chargers hammering the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
To no surprise, fantasy football standouts like Jahmyr Gibbs and Justin Herbert did not suit up as both Dan Campbell and Jim Harbaugh opted to sit most of their respective starters for this early exhibition. Instead, backups like Trey Lance got their chance to showcase themselves as the August 26 roster cutdown date looms large.
The game also allowed for a handful of rookies to get their first taste of action in the National Football League, some being featured prominently throughout the night. While their usage in this game won’t provide a full picture of how they’ll be used in the regular season, they could provide some early clues for curious fantasy managers as draft season unfolds.
Let’s see what we learned about fantasy rookies for the Chargers and Lions in the Hall of Fame Game.
The rookie running back out of North Carolina got the start for the Chargers, logging two carries for nine yards on the team’s opening drive before being shut down for the rest of the evening. According to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus, he also ran two routes during his brief time on the field.
As the Chargers’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft this past April, Hampton has been shooting up fantasy draft boards with good reason. Harbaugh’s M.O. throughout his career has been establishing a strong ground attack with physical running backs and at 220 pounds, the rookie fits that mold well.
Hampton has also been getting a bunch of run in training camp due to the absence of veteran offseason signing Najee Harris, who has been sidelined with an eye injury due to a fireworks accident on July 4th. Him getting the start ove