49ers starting running back Elijah Mitchell is expected to be sidelined eight weeks with an MCL sprain, coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed to the media during a conference call Monday. The news was first reported by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"He's not gonna need surgery but it's gonna be some time," Shanahan said. "He'll be going on IR (injured reserve)."
Mitchell had to exit in the second quarter of Sunday’s 19-10 Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears and was spotted wearing a heavy brace while leaving the locker room after the game. Losing the second-year rising star is a big blow for the 49ers run game, which is supposed to help buoy second-year quarterback Trey Lance.
The Twitter account Sports Injury Central shared video of Mitchell’s final two carries of the afternoon. On his 11-yard carry down to the Chicago 15-yard line, Mitchell got tackled in the right knee by Bears safety Eddie Jackson. Shanahan confirmed he injured his knee on the play. Mitchell would rush it one more time before exiting the game.
That was a tough hit by Jackson directly to his knee, but Mitchell continues to fight the narrative that he is an injury-prone player. Issues with his finger, rib, head and knee last season limited him to 14 games (12 starts) out of a possible 20 last season, including playoffs.
"He was pretty down," Shanahan said. "For obvious reasons, we’re down for him. Elijah went through a lot last year. It's well documented the injuries he had. He really worked hard this offseason and he was feeling really good going into the game. I thought he looked really good before he got hurt."
The 24-year-old was drafted in the sixth round out of Louisiana and set a 49ers rookie record with 963 rushing yards. He showed great burst on his game-high 16-yard carry Sunday and had 41 yards on six rushes (6.8 yards per carry) before going down.
Without Mitchell, the 49ers turned to Jeff Wilson Jr. as the primary tailback, but it’s clear Wilson doesn’t have the same explosiveness as Mitchell. Wilson finished with 22 yards on nine rushes (2.4 yards per carry) and looked flat-footed at times.
It’s also worth noting wide receiver Deebo Samuel also lined up in the backfield with some regularity, as he finished with eight carries for 52 yards. On the drive where Mitchell exited the game, Deebo carried the ball the final two plays of the series, including a 6-yard touchdown run when he bowled over a defender at the goal line. It turned out to be the 49ers’ lone touchdown of the day.
Behind Wilson, the 49ers have a pair of rookies on the depth chart, undrafted Jordan Mason and third-rounder Ty Davis-Price out of LSU. At the end of training camp, the 49ers placed 2021 third-rounder Trey Sermon on waivers but he was picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Last season, Mitchell made the most of his opportunity when Raheem Mostert went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. Now it's time for another rookie to step up. Mason made the 46-man active roster Sunday, while Davis-Price was inactive.
“When it came down to our third back, it was about who won on special teams more,” coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. “Mason did a better job throughout the week.”
Mason made his debut on special teams and played five snaps, credited with a tackle on a kickoff in the third quarter. Shanahan was also asked why Mason didn’t get any carries.
“We didn’t stay out there that long after Elijah went down,” Shanahan said. “Jeff came in and did a couple good things. Mason would have been the next guy up if Jeff got tired.”
Listed at 5-foot-11, 233 pounds, Mason is a physical, downhill runner who led the 49ers with 94 yards on 19 carries in the preseason. Don’t be surprised if he gets his first carry on Sunday in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Davis-Price figures to be RB3 for Week 2. Expect Deebo to continue to be a key part of the run game as well.
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