Getty San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reacts after a play during an NFL game.
The San Francisco 49ers have a strong stable of running backs, but one of their options is being predicted to be the team’s “biggest bust” of 2023. Elijah Mitchell is already coming off a year of regression, but the 25-year-old is now being projected for another down year.
With Christian McCaffery and Jordan Mason also in the mix, the 49ers ought to be fine with any one of their RBs underperforming. Mitchell needs a bounce-back year, though, and Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks that’s not guaranteed with his injury history.
“The problem is that Mitchell has an upright running style that certainly doesn’t help him stay healthy. Even in his rookie season he suffered shoulder, chest and finger injuries that kept him out of games. Last season his injury woes migrated to the lower body,” Ballentine wrote. “He dealt with a hamstring injury during training camp and was knocked out for the season by an MCL sprain in November.”
Ballentine’s examples are hard to argue, but 49ers fans have seen how impressive Mitchell can be when he’s healthy. With McCaffery and Mason, his ceiling in terms of production is initially limited and that means he could have a “disappointing” season even if he stays off the injured list.
Ups and Downs for Mitchell in San Francisco
It almost wasn’t surprising that Mitchell exploded for the 49ers as a rookie. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has consistently set up his ball-carriers for success, best evidenced by the explosive moments players like Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. had for the NFC West squad.
Mitchell was a force, averaging 87.5 yards in 2021 according to Pro Football Reference. He totaled 963 rushing yards and scored six total touchdowns. However, the injury issues meant he only played 10 games and couldn’t maximize his production.
Those issues in 2021 seemingly foreshadowed the 2022 season, as Mitchell appeared in just five games. He still produced at a fairly high level, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and averaging 55.8 yards per game.
That’s where Ballentine’s prediction could end up being completely wrong: Mitchell is a serious weapon when he’s playing. If he can play more than 10 games in 2023, he could end up having a big year despite splitting time with Christian McCaffery.
49ers Linked to RB Trade
While Ballentine suggests that Mitchell could have a rough year, another B/R analyst, Joe Tansey, thinks that Jordan Mason could be a trade candidate going into the 2023 season.
“The injury history of [Elijah Mitchell and Christian McCaffery] is the primary reason for the 49ers to keep Mason for the entire regular season, but if everything is going well and Tyrion Davis-Price develops into a decent backup, the NFC West side could feel comfortable fielding calls about Mason,” Tansey said.
There is a real chance that the 49ers say goodbye to one of their RB options before or during the season, but the decision to part ways will depend on several factors and each option comes with risk. Mitchell’s ceiling is still very high, but Mason has shown flashes of promises in his lone season with the 49ers.
San Francisco hasn’t shied from a major move during the Kyle Shanahan era, but this may be one to be cautious or patient rather than aggressive.
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