49ers' Elijah Mitchell: Facing challenge for backup role

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Jordan Mason may challenge Mitchell for the No. 2 RB role, Jordan Elliott of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Mitchell was still viewed as the clear No. 2 running back as recently as minicamp in June, but Mason's continued development may be complicating things. San Francisco's strong backfield depth behind Christian McCaffrey could even make Mitchell a trade target heading into the final year of his rookie contract, although the 49ers would probably feel better about that if fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo was practicing rather than nursing a hamstring injury. Mitchell still makes sense as a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, as it's hard to know if the camp hype surrounding Mason really matters relative to Mitchell's solid track record when tasked with a lead role. There's even potential for Mitchell's value to rise considerably between now and Week 1, either via a trade or a McCaffrey injury.