In his two NFL seasons, San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell has shown plenty of promise, but he has been hit hard by the injury bug, as has the rest of the team.
Multiple injuries cost him six games in 2021, but when he was healthy, he set a franchise rookie record with 963 rushing yards, to go along with five touchdowns in 11 games.
This season, he suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1, and although he was able to return in Week 10, just two weeks later he again sustained a sprained MCL and has been out ever since.
But according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, Mitchell is very close to returning to practice, which means his return to game action should be just around the corner.
Elijah Mitchell's return-from-IR practice window will "definitely" open next week, per Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers are loading up
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) December 30, 2022
“Yeah, we actually would’ve opened it today or even maybe yesterday, but he’s been homesick the last two days,” the coach said. “We’ve had a bug going around, but he was good enough to start practicing today, so we’ll definitely start that next week.”
The return of Mitchell would give San Francisco a sizable boost in advance of the playoffs, especially considering Shanahan’s run-heavy offensive scheme.
The Added Benefit Of Having Mitchell Back
Just before Mitchell returned from his first injury several weeks ago, the 49ers made arguably the biggest trade in the NFL this season by landing former All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
Prior to his arrival, their running game was almost non-existent, and it put a strain on their overall offense, as opponents were able to drop back in coverage and hold their wide receivers in check.
But McCaffrey has made the Niners’ offense look much more dynamic and potent than it did in September and October.
When Mitchell comes back, it will allow Shanahan to manage McCaffrey’s workload and get him some well-earned rest, while also providing a different look and giving his team a one-two punch in the backfield.
streets saying elijah mitchell coming back right in time for the playoffs?? pic.twitter.com/JahhZB0CFF
— brandon aiyuk better (@jxeglzz) December 27, 2022
McCaffrey has 215 carries so far in 2022, which isn’t a huge number, but he has had trouble staying healthy in his six NFL seasons, and having Mitchell back could, at least in theory, reduce his risk of injury moving forward.
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