A few weeks away because of a knee injury wasn’t enough to slow down 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell. The sixth-round pick was excellent Sunday against the Houston Texans and ran his way into the franchise’s history books by churning out the most yards ever by a rookie running back.
Mitchell on Sunday posted 119 rushing yards to reach 878 for the season. He surpassed Vic Washington who ran for 811 yards as a rookie in 1971.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Mitchell’s stellar first season is how he’s battled through injuries and reached the 49ers’ all-time rookie rushing mark in just 10 games. He’s also second among rookies in rushing yards this season. Only Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris (984) has more.
While much of the focus has landed on the quarterback position in San Francisco, the 49ers’ run game is always going to be the straw that stirs their offensive drink. That strong rushing attack should continue to be a force as long as Mitchell continues churning out yards at this rate.
