Why 49ers RBs Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson Jr. were out of preseason opener
The 49ers notched 32 runs in their preseason opener vs. the Packers. None of them came from the two players expected to top their depth chart come Week 1.
Neither running back Elijah Mitchell nor Jeff Wilson Jr. suited up Friday night for different reasons.
Mitchell is dealing with a hamstring strain that will likely keep him out of Week 2 preseason action according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. It’s unclear when Mitchell suffered the injury, but it’s worth monitoring closely considering the second-year RB missed six games as a rookie because of various physical ailments.
Hamstrings are particularly tricky, so the club may shut him down for the rest of the preseason to make sure he’s healthy for the regular season. The 49ers have a deep backfield, but Mitchell is pretty clearly their top RB.
Wilson was excused from the preseason opener for a personal reason per Shanahan. It’s unclear when he’ll be back with the team, but his absence probably didn’t impact the 49ers much. It’s hard to imagine the club would’ve used him much with Trey Sermon and Tyrion Davis-Price needing in-game work.
