Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers Prediction & Picks - NFL

Prediction published on 10/12/25, 9:01 AM  by Erik Gibbs | Modified on 10/12/25 at 4:05 PM in NFL Picks

A Sunday afternoon matchup features the Los Angeles Chargers and the Miami Dolphins, two teams searching for direction as the season reaches a critical stretch. The Chargers are still reeling from a 34–28 home loss to Washington, where quarterback Justin Herbert endured his toughest outing of the year, throwing for just 166 yards—his lowest total of the season. Making matters worse, rookie running back Omarion Hampton, the focal point of the offense, suffered an ankle injury that will send him to injured reserve.

With the offensive line also dealing with multiple injuries, head coach Sean McVay is preparing to use a committee approach in the backfield. Analysts caution fantasy players and bettors alike not to overvalue either Kimani Vidal or Hassan Haskins, given the Chargers’ struggles up front—they rank 26th in yards before contact and 29th in points per drive. Haskins’ only clear advantage over Vidal lies in his special teams role. If the ground game fails to gain traction, Los Angeles could explore signing a veteran running back to stabilize the offense.

On the other side, the Miami Dolphins enter at 1–4 after suffering a heartbreaking 27–24 loss to Charlotte. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to produce, throwing for 10 touchdowns against four interceptions, but the defense has been unable to hold up its end. With Tyreek Hill still nursing a knee injury, Tagovailoa has leaned heavily on Jaylen Waddle and explosive rookie De’Von Achane. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit was gashed last week by Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, and now they must contend with a rested Herbert looking to rebound.