How ‘animal’ CMC is helping 49ers’ Mitchell take game to next level

SANTA CLARA — When Christian McCaffrey came to the 49ers, it meant running back Elijah Mitchell's role with the team would be reduced. But even though he no longer is a starter, Mitchell believes McCaffrey's presence has brought out a better version of himself. "Most definitely," Mitchell said about benefiting from McCaffrey's influence. "Seeing what he's doing. I'm always asking him questions. He's probably getting tired of me a little bit. But, no, he's an animal." Injuries limited Mitchell to just 16 games (11 starts) in his first two NFL seasons. He rushed for 963 yards as a rookie in 2021 and figured to be a huge part of the offense last season. However, he sustained a knee injury in the season opener and had another knee injury upon his return. In the meantime, the 49ers acquired McCaffrey in a trade from the Carolina Panthers. Mitchell could be used more as a third-down back this season, though that is one of McCaffrey's strengths, too. "His third-down skills are crazy, the way he catches the ball and runs routes," Mitchell said. "I think we feed off each other. Both of us can catch the ball and run. It's awesome, man. It's awesome." Mitchell said he is constantly...