The San Francisco 49ers‘ running back room and injuries are synonymous at this point. Nearly every RB on the roster has been out or limited with injuries this year. As starter Elijah Mitchell recovers from a concussion and Jeff Wilson Jr. deals with a knee injury, will either player suit up in Week 14?
Update 12/12/21: According to the 49ers, Elijah Mitchell will be inactive for their game against the Bengals today. Jeff Wilson Jr. is active.
Elijah Mitchell will not play in Week 14
The rookie out of Louisiana will not play against the Cincinnati Bengals. Mitchell reported concussion-like symptoms on Monday, entered the NFL’s concussion protocol, and did not practice all week. He has yet to clear the protocol and thus will be on the sidelines in Week 14. This is Mitchell’s fourth missed game, having dealt with shoulder, rib, finger, and knee injuries this year.
When on the field, he’s been the 49ers’ lead back. In nine games, Mitchell has generated 759 yards and 5 touchdowns on 165 carries. Additionally, he’s caught 17 of 18 targets for 126 yards. The rookie has clearly won head coach Kyle Shanahan’s trust, likely due to his pass blocking, zone-rushing ability, and sure hands (zero fumbles).
Despite a knee injury, Jeff Wilson Jr. is the 49ers’ RB1 this week
Wilson began the week with a limited practice due to a knee injury but recorded full sessions after that. He was not on San Francisco’s final injury report and enters Sunday without an injury designation. Shanahan stated Wilson had a great week of practice, and his knee did not cause an issue.
With Mitchell out, Wilson, JaMycal Hasty, and the recently promoted Brian Hill are the only healthy backs in San Fran. Raheem Mostert (knee), Trey Sermon (ankle), and Trenton Cannon (concussion) are all on the injured reserve. The most games a 49ers RB has played this year is nine (Mitchell), the fewest in the league!
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Wilson has largely been ineffective when healthy this year. He’s recorded just 83 yards on 31 carries (2.7 average) with zero scores and 1 fumble. Meanwhile, Hasty took his 13 carries for 48 yards and 1 TD. Either way, Shanahan will presumably feature just one back as he’s done all season. Mitchell has dominated backfield touches when healthy, and when he wasn’t earlier in the year, Sermon filled the bell-cow role.
While Wilson hasn’t looked great this year, he more than held his own in spot starts in 2020. In the three games he started last season, he averaged 19.7 carries, 123.7 yards, 1.3 touchdowns. Nevertheless, Wilson may fall well short of those averages against the Bengals, who own the fourth-best run defense in the NFL (92.5 rushing yards allowed per game).
