San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell says that he is eyeing a Week 10 return to the field. He has been sidelined since Week 1, dealing with a knee injury. Mitchell will return to a very different running back room as the 49ers have traded for running back Christian McCaffrey and traded away former backup Jeff Wilson Jr. He is eligible to return from IR in Week 9.
#49ers running back Elijah Mitchell: “I’ll be around here, getting better, taking care of my body, getting ready for Sunday night." He said he expects to be activated and ready for the Nov. 13 game against the Chargers.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) November 1, 2022
It will be interesting to see how Mitchell figures into the offense. You have to assume that McCaffrey will be the leading running back, with Mitchell relegated back to a backup role. He started out as a backup being a sixth-round draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Through other players getting injured, Mitchell got his opportunity and didn’t waste it. He ended up with 207 attempts for 963 yards and five touchdowns through 11 games in his rookie season. If anything happens to McCaffrey, Mitchell will be able to pick up right where he left off. If Mitchell does return in Week 10, it will be against the Los Angeles Chargers in a big Sunday Night Football game.