San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell is expected to be sidelined for about two months with a sprained medial collateral ligament, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Mitchell suffered the injury late in the first half of the 49ers’ 19-10 loss Sunday to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. An MRI Monday revealed the extent of the injury.
Mitchell put together a solid game before being hurt, with six carries for 41 yards.
Veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr. filled in after Mitchell’s exit against the Bears and finished with nine carries for 22 yards on the rain-soaked field. Rookie Jordan Mason is listed as third on the depth chart. Fellow rookie Tyrion Davis-Price is also on the roster, although he was inactive Sunday. Of course, the 49ers’ rushing attack is unlike any other in the NFL, relying heavily on contributions from mobile quarterback Trey Lance and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Samuel, who rushed for 365 yards last season, ran for 52 against the Bears. Lance added 54 yards on the ground on 13 carries.
The sprained MCL is just the latest bad news for Mitchell. The second-year back missed the entire preseason with a hamstring injury, and he missed six games due to various injuries in his rookie campaign. However, Mitchell still rushed for 947 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie.
