Elijah Mitchell Fantasy

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell returned from a two-game absence due to a shoulder injury and carried nine times for 43 yards, hauling in both of his targets for 19 receiving yards during a 17-10 Week 5 loss against the Arizona Cardinals. Mitchell led all running backs in carries (9), but Trey Lance carried 16 times, taking several valuable goal-line opportunities away from the promising rookie prospect. Moving forward, Mitchell can be treated as a low-end RB3 with RB2 upside, depending on his ability to find the endzone. The 49ers will be one of four teams to enter the first Bye Week in Week 6, returning to face the Colts at home in Week 7.

Oct. 10th • 8:25 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell (shoulder) was able to practice in full on Friday and was removed from the final Week 5 injury report. Mitchell will play this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals after missing the last two games. Fellow rookie Trey Sermon didn't do a whole lot with lead-back duties in Mitchell's absence, but he was more productive in the Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks (19 carries for 89 yards). Mitchell was the lead back in Week 2 after Raheem Mostert was lost for the season, but it's impossible to predict how head coach Kyle Shanahan will split the workload between Mitchell and Sermon this weekend, making both rookies shaky RB3/flex options for fantasy managers.

Oct. 8th • 5:07 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell (shoulder) was able to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. Mitchell has missed the last two games, but the 49ers entered the week hoping that the rookie could shed his non-contact jersey in practice at some point. The 23-year-old served as the team's primary back in Week 2 when he had 17 carries for 42 yards while adding two receptions for another 11 yards. Fellow rookie Trey Sermon has played just over half of the offensive snaps in the last two weeks with Mitchell sidelined, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk has also pitched in, mostly on passing downs. It'll be interesting to see how head coach Kyle Shanahan divvies up the backfield touches if Mitchell returns in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals. The uncertainty would make both Mitchell and Sermon shaky RB3/flex plays.

Oct. 6th • 7:49 PM