San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell is officially listed as "questionable" for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. He has been dealing with a knee injury and has not played since Week 13. However, the team could be getting its leading rusher back in time for its playoff push.
"Yesterday, I thought, was his best day that he's had, for a Thursday," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Mitchell on Friday. "That's the only day we're going full speed, and he was able to get more reps than he has since this has happened to him. So, I think that's very encouraging, especially when he does that.
"Today, he didn't feel worse, which was the key. He was able to get some today. Hopefully, that will continue all the way up to Sunday."
If Mitchell ends up playing this weekend, the team will still be cautious with their rookie rusher. Assuming the 49ers can reach the postseason, it will be nice having the added weapon on the football field.
The Texans defense is allowing 141.3 rushing yards per game. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers have allowed more.
"We'll play Elijah as much as he can handle," Shanahan said. "So that's about watching him, watching how his legs work, communicating with him, which is really what [running backs coach] Bobby [Turner] does throughout the game. When he's tired, when he's going, Bobby doesn't hesitate. He puts Jeff [Wilson] in there. We have a number of guys we can put in there."
San Francisco made Mitchell (5-10, 200) a sixth-round selection out of Louisiana in 2021. He has carried the football 165 times for 759 yards with five rushing touchdowns while adding 17 receptions for 126 yards through nine game appearances this season.