The San Francisco 49ers will have a new backup running back behind Christian McCaffrey.
As part of their series of moves to trim the roster down from 90 players to 53, the Niners placed Elijah Mitchell on injured reserve. They did not designate him to return, which means he is out for the season unless he and the team reach an injury settlement and he is waived and subsequently re-signed.
Mitchell was previously San Francisco's starter before the team traded for McCaffrey during the 2022 season. He exploded onto the scene out of nowhere in 2021, filling in for an injured Raheem Mostert and emerging as the Niners' No. 1 back. He rushed 207 times for 963 yards and five touchdowns that season, and entered 2022 as the lead back.
He retained a role even after the McCaffrey deal, spelling McCaffrey and filling in for short-yardage and occasional goal-line touches. But he has consistently struggled to stay healthy during his NFL career. He missed six games due to injury in both 2021 and 2023, and 12 games in 2022. In the two seasons since his debut, he has just 120 total carries, although his 4.7 yards-per-carry average matches the one he posted during his rookie year.
With Mitchell sidelined, the Niners will have third-year former undrafted free agent Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo behind McCaffrey. Mason will likely serve as the primary backup and fill the role formerly held by Mitchell. Considering McCaffrey's age and injury history, he may become an important player for San Francisco's offense very quickly.
