Fantasy football takeaways from rookie performances at the 2025 Hall of Fame Game

Rookies got their first NFL snaps in Thursday’s preseason opener between the Chargers and Lions. Nick Simon breaks down the rookie performers.

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.

Omarion Hampton, RB, LAC

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 over Kimani Vidal is an indicator of the staff’s trust in the rookie and there’s a strong chance that he could assume that role again against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

While it is too early outright to declare Hampton RB1 in L.A., the rookie back could cement himself as such by the end of camp and justify the preseason fantasy hype.

Isaac TeSlaa, WR, DET

Dan Campbell has had an excellent draft record since taking over as Lions head coach and TeSlaa may be his latest hidden gem. The third-round wideout out of Arkansas got significant burn during the Hall of Fame Game, logging 32 snaps with two receptions for 46 yards.

At 6’4” with a 4.43 40-yard dash time, one can see why he’s generating buzz in Lions training camp. The presence of established names like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams will make it difficult for him to get significant looks early on, his reps as a special teams gunner in the exhibition may indicate Campbell’s willingness to get him on the field in whatever capacity. Keep tabs on him throughout the month.

Tre’ Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, LAC

Another pair of rookies that made their debut for the Bolts were wideouts Lambert and Harris, who both logged a handful of snaps in the victory. The former was targeted just once in the exhibition while the latter stood out in his short time on the field, making an impressive 24-yard reception before finding the endzone in the second quarter.

The Chargers are looking to solidify their receiver depth behind Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, opening the door for both fifth-round rookies to see action during the regular season. While they may not offer up much value in redraft leagues just yet, dynasty managers should keep them on their radars as potential late-round sleepers that they can stash away.

Oronde Gadsden II, TE, LAC

The Chargers have a pair of veteran tight ends in Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly, the latter of whom caught a touchdown in the preseason opener while the former sat. But don’t sleep on the rookie Gadsden, who started alongside Dissly in the contest.

The son of the former Miami Dolphins receiver had just one target for seven yards but as PFF pointed out, he was on the field for the Chargers’ only snap in a non-goal line, 11 personnel grouping. We’ll see if that was just a coincidence or an indicator that the rookie will be L.A.’s top tight end receiving target.