Chargers’ Raheim Sanders running away with final roster spot amid Najee Harris injury

The Los Angeles Chargers have a little more work to go around at the running back position than expected this summer in the wake of the Najee Harris injury. 

Harris remains mysteriously sidelined with the eye injury suffered during a fireworks incident near the start of July. 

In the interim, first-round rookie Omarion Hampton has functioned as the lead back, while someone such as undrafted free agent Raheim Sanders has jumped all over the extra opportunities. 

The latest example came over the weekend during the preseason game against the Saints, where Sanders led all rushers with 42 yards and scored in the fourth quarter. 

Not bad for a rookie who only just got back from a nagging injury. Now he’s earning spotlight praise from Jim Harbaugh. 

"I thought he did a really nice job, too,” Harbaugh said, according to Eric Smith of the team’s website. “Ran hard, secured the ball, had some good tough runs. He's been working through stuff and got out there today and showed what he could do."

Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal and Jaret Patterson remain in the mix to be the No. 2 back behind Hampton, too. But Sanders was a fan favorite undrafted free agent for a reason and his obviously translatable skill is showing up at the NFL level already. 

Hampton and Sanders serving as the one-two punch for the Chargers' rushing attack in Week 1 probably wasn’t what even optimistic fans would’ve predicted. But unless Sanders suddenly doesn’t perform as expected, that’s where things continue to head, barring a dramatic shift in the Harris injury outlook.