Elijah Mitchell, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since Week 12, could return to practice by the end of the week, setting up the 49ers running back's potential return in the playoffs or earlier.
Coach Kyle Shanahan detailed Mitchell’s rehabilitation status on Monday via conference call. The second-year pro has appeared in just four games in 2022, but he has been dynamic when on the field with a 5.6-yards-per-carry average.
“There’s a chance,” Shanahan told reporters. “I think the earliest is possibly Friday, maybe. He’s healing up, he’s had no setbacks, he’s doing well, so we’ll see if he’s available next week for us.”
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SIGN UP HERE With Mitchell's practice window potentially opening, the 49ers again appear to have running back depth, as they did at the start of the season. San Francisco did have a scare early in Saturday’s game when Jordan Mason went down with an apparent knee injury.
The rookie running back appeared for just 17 plays on special teams, but Shanahan revealed that was by design. Mason had been dealing with a tight hamstring during the week of practice leading up to the game, which opened the door for fellow rookie running back Ty Davis-Price to play.
“He had a good game,” Shanahan said of the third-round draft pick. “I think it was the second-and-4 that he’d like to have back that ended up leading to the third-and -1, fourth-and-1 we didn’t get. But then watching the film, the linebacker had his hands inside on the ball.
“If he would have fought for another yard, it would have ended up being a fumble, so it was a smart decision for him to roll with the ball. Didn’t make any mistakes in the game, so I was happy he could get out there and get his feet wet again, back in the game and get some carries because there is a great chance we will need him again going forward."
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The three young running backs complement the 49ers' workhorse starter, All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers hope a strong supporting cast will ensure their star ball carrier stays healthy with fresh legs as they continue down the home stretch and into the playoffs.