It could be Jeff Wilson and JaMycal Hasty as the lead running backs for the San Francisco 49ers down in Jacksonville in Week 11, as general manager John Lynch revealed the latest update involving injured running back Elijah Mitchell.
Lynch told Brian Murphy of KNBR 680 AM in the Bay Area on the morning of Friday, November 19, to share that the rookie running back is officially a game-time decision for the Jaguars game.
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Lynch didn’t just explain Mitchell’s Sunday status, but the severity of his finger injury.
“We will see. He had type of break they thought he could function,” Lynch told Murphy. “But surgery might have been different than we anticipated. Pain tolerance is not an issue, but he has to be able to function. We will take it till game time”
Now, as of 12:25 p.m. PT, Mitchell has been listed as doubtful.
Kyle Shanahan provides final updates ahead of #SFvsJAX.
This officially leaves the 49ers with these four options at RB:
Sixth Rounder Has Had an Injury Pileup
Mitchell has dealt with injuries during his debut NFL season.
The rookie from Louisiana has dealt with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for two games — the injury occurring during the Week 2 road win at Philadelphia.
This month, he’s battled through a ribs injury and, from the Monday Night Football 31-10 rout of the Los Angeles Rams, his latest ailment the finger fracture.
Mitchell Still Lauded for Early Toughness
Despite his early list of medical reports, Mitchell has developed into a nice surprise for the 49ers’ offense, especially a backfield that was already dealing with an injury pileup.
With Raheem Mostert out for the year and Wilson also making his return this week from meniscus surgery, Mitchell has carried the load in seven games and leads the ‘Niners with 560 rushing yards including three 100-yard games.
Mitchell is also in the first percentile in this category via Pro Football Focus Fantasy:
Elijah Mitchell is a big-play machine 🔥
Mitchell’s presence has given the 49ers a much-needed outside zone threat, per The Athletic’s David Lombardi.
Remember when we discussed how Elijah Mitchell wasn’t grabbing yardage as efficiently as Mostert or even Jeff Wilson?
Those days are over. Mitchell’s 0.71 rush yards over expectation rank #8 in NFL. 2019 Mostert logged 0.69 RYOE. Mitchell has the outside-zone speed 49ers need
Fellow 49ers reporter for The Athletic, Matt Barrows, also pointed this out: Mitchell was not aware of his finger injury while rushing for 27 carries for 91 yards versus L.A.
How tough is Elijah Mitchell?
He had 27 carries Monday
He broke a finger Monday
He wasn’t sure when the injury occurred
He never left the game Monday
He could play on Sunday …
Following the 21-point trouncing of the Rams, Mitchell’s head coach Kyle Shanahan raved to Bay Area reporters about the early grit Mitchell has displayed this season.
“He’s shown us just in all the aspects, since he’s gotten here, that he’s got what it takes to be an NFL running back in terms of he’s got the talent, the vision, the ability, but I can see the toughness and how hard he runs, but also the toughness of playing through all this stuff,” Shanahan said.
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49ers GM John Lynch Updates Playing Chances of RB Elijah Mitchell