The 49ers may be without running back Elijah Mitchell for the rest of the regular season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday told reporters the MCL sprain Mitchell sustained in the team’s 13-0 win over the Saints will keep him out six-to-eight weeks.
Shanahan immediately after the game said the team was hopeful Mitchell avoided a significant sprain like the he sustained in the season opener that knocked him out for seven games.
A six-week return would put him back in action for the start of the playoffs. Eight weeks could mean the 49ers are without their running back through a couple of playoff games.
Mitchell’s absence likely means more work for rookies Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price. Mason had a career-high five carries against the Saints on Sunday after Mitchell went down early in the second half. Davis-Price was a healthy inactive.
