Chargers boast one of NFL's most important veteran vs. rookie roster battles

The Los Angeles Chargers went into this offseason with one major goal in mind: improve the offense. More specifically, the skill players. The Bolts hit on last year's second round pick Ladd McConkey, but failed to generate any type of offense outside of him, as was evident in their unfortunate Wild Card loss.

The Chargers added Tre Harris and brought back Mike Williams to the receiver room, but they really overhauled the running back core. They technically still have J.K. Dobbins under the UFA tender, but the Bolts signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton to split the backfield early on.

The question becomes: who will start Week 1? Matt Holder of Bleacher Report ranked the Harris vs Hampton battle as one of the top ones to watch during training camp this year. Holder's prediction? The rookie will come out victorious.

"While both players have similar running styles, the rookie offers more top-end speed with his 4.46-second 40-yard dash time to help earn the nod over the veteran. Also, he offers more future value for the Chargers since Harris only signed a one-year deal, making it more encouraging for the team to give Hampton more reps to develop him. Regardless, both backs should get plenty of carries this season."

Hampton's speed and better ability to catch out of the backfield could give him the edge in this battle. The former Tar Heel rushed for over 1,500 yards in each of his last two collegiate seasons, with 30 touchdowns on the ground during that span.

It'll be interesting to see how this battle plays out over the summer.

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