Elijah Mitchell Fantasy Stats

Kansas City Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell is a healthy inactive for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday night in Brazil against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It's bad news for Mitchell heading into his first year with the Chiefs, as it looks like he's the RB4 to open the year, behind starter Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith. The 27-year-old was getting some first-team reps early in training camp, but that was a long time ago in late July. Mitchell signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with KC in the offseason after spending his first three NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In his three years in the Bay Area, the former sixth-rounder in 2021 out of Louisiana averaged 4.7 yards per tote on 327 rush attempts for 1,523 yards and nine touchdowns (five in his rookie season).

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, not surprisingly, got the first running-back touches during the rush period in Friday's practice. While that doesn't come as a surprise, Elijah Mitchell worked as the No. 2 back ahead of Kareem Hunt, rookie Brashard Smith, and Carson Steele. While it's still early, it serves as a bit of a surprise to see Mitchell working ahead of Kareem Hunt, who led the team's backfield while Pacheco was injured in 2024. A lot can change over the next month or so, but Mitchell would hold a significant amount of fantasy value as a handcuff if he breaks camp as Pacheco's main backup. Stay tuned.

The Kansas City Chiefs are signing free-agent running back Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) to a one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million on Monday, sources tell FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Mitchell, who was a sixth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 out of Louisiana, will now join the Chiefs backfield as depth behind Isiah Pacheco for the 2025 season. Barring another injury for the injury-plagued RB, he'll likely enter Week 1 this fall as the No. 2 behind Pacheco. Mitchell has averaged a healthy 4.7 yards per carry on 327 rushing attempts over his three seasons in the NFL, but he's only appeared in 27 games (12 starts) due to injury. He suffered a hamstring injury in training camp last year and was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve in August before the regular season even began. At best, Mitchell will be a deep-league handcuff option for those that have Pacheco rostered.

The San Francisco 49ers placed running back Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, and his 2024 season is over. Mitchell, who was projected as the team's RB2, has dealt with injury problems throughout his career, having never played more than 11 games in a year. Jordan Mason is now expected to be the 49ers' RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey (calf) with Mitchell sidelined. Rookie Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. will also see an uptick in playing time behind McCaffrey and Mason with Mitchell now done for the year.

The San Francisco 49ers have typically carried four running backs and a fullback on their 53-man roster. They've traded two RBs for fifth-round draft picks in the past, Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson Jr., during Kyle Shanahan's tenure as head coach. If Elijah Mitchell can fetch a return, then perhaps the 49ers have adequate depth to orchestrate another trade. San Francisco has been happy with Cody Schrader and Patrick Taylor Jr., so expect at least one of those backs to remain in the building, even if it's on the practice squad. Mitchell is one of San Fran's top backups to workhorse starter Christian McCaffrey (calf), who is currently not practicing. If Mitchell were to get traded ahead of the regular season, it would leave Jordan Mason as McCaffrey's clear-cut backup and an abundance of contingency upside as a handcuff.

San Francisco 49ers running backs Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) and Patrick Taylor Jr. (undisclosed) have all returned to training camp practices in the last two days. The only Niners running back out of practice still is starter Christian McCaffrey (calf), but he's been doing heavy work on the side. Mitchell will now try to hold off Jordan Mason for the RB2 role in San Fran. Although McCaffrey will end up missing the entire preseason, the 49ers aren't worried that he'll miss the start of the regular season. The 26-year-old former sixth-rounder in 2021 out of Louisiana would become a weekly fantasy option if CMC were to miss extended time, but Mitchell has battled injury issues of his own in his three years in the NFL and has played in a total of 27 games (12 starts) since entering the league. Guerendo is behind in his development heading into his rookie year, but he, too, could be a threat to Mitchell's spot on the depth chart eventually in 2024.

San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) won't suit up for Saturday's preseason opener. The 49ers will be without Mitchell, Christian McCaffrey (calf), and Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) for Saturday's contest. Undrafted rookie Cody Schrader and veteran Matt Breida are likely to see increased touches with the 49ers limited on players. These injuries aren't expected to linger into the regular season.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan relayed to reporters on Tuesday that San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) has been dealing with a strained hamstring. While it's unknown if Mitchell will miss any time because of this injury, but the fact that Christian McCaffrey (calf) is also set to miss the preseason with a calf injury and the team adding former 49er Matt Breida to the running back stable raises the level of concern. The pecking order for the backup running back behind McCaffrey has heated up with Mitchell, Jordan Mason, rookie Isaac Guerendo, and now Breida. Mitchell has been the primary backup since McCaffrey arrived in San Francisco in a 2022 mid-season trade, but the hold on that job has loosened by the day. Keep an eye on any news regarding the injury status for Mitchell, but Mitchell does carry a slight edge as the contingency running back for the 49ers in case CMC isn't ready for Week 1.

With Christian McCaffrey receiving a training-camp rest day on Monday, Jordan Mason was the San Francisco 49ers' first running back on the field for the start of team drills. Mason, the 49ers' No. 3 back the past two seasons, carried the ball on the first snap. Elijah Mitchell, the No. 2 back since McCaffrey arrived in 2022, had a carry on the second snap. Head coach Kyle Shanahan also shared praise of Mason's development after the session. After Mitchell served as McCaffrey's unquestioned backup, Mason at least is making the situation murkier. San Fran's backfield pecking order behind McCaffrey will certainly be something for fantasy managers to monitor leading into the Aug. 10 preseason opener against the hosting Tennessee Titans. Until then, Mitchell should be treated as CMC's preferred handcuff at the end of fantasy drafts with rookie Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) sidelined.

According to The Athletic's David Lombardi, San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell is the team's clear No. 2 back behind All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. Mitchell is an all-around back, but his health is the key. If training camp this summer yields a productive backfield logjam, Lombardi points out that the 49ers have previously traded Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson Jr. when they have an excess of depth at the position. As of right now, the 26-year-old Mitchell is the best handcuff option for fantasy managers that take McCaffrey first overall in fantasy drafts this fall. Mitchell has produced 4.7 yards per carry in his three years in the NFL in the Bay Area, but he's also played in just 27 games in a three-year span. If CMC misses time with an injury in 2024, Mitchell will become a hot commodity.