Jim Harbaugh announces Los Angeles Chargers' starting running back for Week 1

The Los Angeles Chargers have announced who will be their starting veteran between Najee Harris and rookie Omarion Hampton.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed on Wednesday that Harris is expected to start over Hampton.

Harbaugh added that he thinks Harris is ready to go after missing significant time due to an eye injury sustained on the Fourth of July.

"[Harris] says he's ready, and he looks ready to go," Harbaugh said. "Really hard to predict play counts. He's going to play football and have at it. That's the mindset."

The first two injury reports of the week back up Harbaugh's comment, as Harris has practiced in full the first two days.

"I'm ramping up to it, just trying to get back in that football shape," he said on Monday. "But I am feeling good though, and we'll just see where it leads."

Harris inked a one-year, $5.25 million deal with Los Angeles earlier this offseason. At the time, Harris was the clear lead back for the Chargers, but his role took a hit after the team drafted Hampton.

However, given his experience, it was always expected that Harris would start early on and Hampton would mix in.

Even though Harris is the starter, that doesn't mean he's going to take on a workhorse load like he did in Pittsburgh. Granted, he'll likely get the majority of work, but Hampton is going to get his opportunities, also.

Hampton has drawn a fair amount of hype in fantasy football, but it would owners should probably hold off on starting him right away, seeing as how he might play second fiddle to Harris in Week 1.

That said, it's very possible Hampton will overtake Harris sooner rather than later. After all, the Chargers have a lot invested in Hampton and Harris certainly isn't an immovable force.