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Elijah Mitchell looks to earn his second consecutive game with over 100 yards rushing and his third game doing so this season. The San Francisco 49ers rookie running back could tie the franchise record for the most games by a rookie with over 100 rushing yards (QB Billy Kilmer - 3 in 1961). He would also be the first 49ers player with at least 100 yards rushing in consecutive games since Matt Breida accomplished the feat in Weeks 10 and 12 (Week 11 bye) of the 2018 season.
San Francisco opened Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts with an impressive eight-play and 78-yard scoring drive that Mitchell capped off with a 14-yard run into the end zone. The rookie contributed five carries for 57 rushing yards on the drive, and 93 of his total rushing yards came in the first half.
This week, head coach Kyle Shanahan sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area and discussed his sixth-round draft pick.
"He's a natural runner," Shanahan told Greg Papa. "He doesn't miss many holes, and I thought we gave him some pretty good holes on that first drive. And he hit every one of them and made more after it, and then ended up getting in the end zone on a big one."
Shanahan moved away from Mitchell as the game progressed. The 49ers coach later explained that the offense's inability to convert third downs made it challenging to establish a rhythm for Mitchell.
Shanahan acknowledges that opposing defenses could underestimate the rookie rusher.
"Elijah's very tough, very natural, and he comes off as a smaller back, but he's heavier than people think," Shanahan shared. "And the fact that he is heavier than people think, and he also has a mentality, which allows him to play a little bit bigger than he appears."
Sunday could feature Mitchell with a healthy mix of JaMycal Hasty. We'll see if the team's other rookie running back, Trey Sermon, a third-round pick, gets more involved. He didn't have an offensive snap against the Colts and had just two in the previous game.
"We've got three young backs," Shanahan said, "and we're really happy with all three of them. They got a lot thrown on their plate a little earlier than expected. [We] went into this year counting on Raheem [Mostert], and we lost him on the second play [of Week 1].
"And Jeff Wilson was a big back for us, that we expected to be our number two. We thought we could bring these guys along slowly. And the way Jeff ended up last year, he was a hell of a third-down back. But losing him in OTAs, in that freak accident in the locker room, it was unfortunate."
That makes Mitchell the de facto starter going forward. He and the rest of the team's running backs hope to help turn things around for the struggling 49ers this weekend against the Chicago Bears, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Brock Purdy hopes Kyle Shanahan makes addition to 49ers playbook
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
Why one analyst is worried for Brock Purdy if 49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 18
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy achieved a remarkable feat in 2023, setting a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards. This accomplishment is noteworthy, considering the illustrious quarterbacks who have graced the organization's history.
A significant portion of those yards came from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who amassed a career-high and team-leading 1,342 receiving yards. Most of his 75 catches originated from passes thrown by Purdy.
Amidst significant offseason chatter surrounding the 49ers' star receiver, including several unsubstantiated trade rumors, Aiyuk's future remains uncertain. Former NFL player James Jones, now an analyst, expressed concern for Purdy should Aiyuk's tenure in the Bay Area come to an end.
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Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are why the 49ers can afford to pay Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 10
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
