It was a widespread occurrence for the 49ers to heavily rely on rookie operating back Elijah Mitchell in 2021. Even so, with the addition of Christian McCaffrey to the group, Mitchell is struggling to see any playing time.
For the duration of the 49ers’ current victory more than the Los Angeles Rams, Mitchell was 1 of 4 active and healthier players who did not get on the field. In contrast, McCaffrey played each offensive snap for the group. Coach Kyle Shanahan admitted that the group produced a error with their operating back rotation and acknowledged the want to involve Mitchell much more.
McCaffrey at the moment leads the NFL in rushing attempts and yards via two weeks of the season. In the Week 1 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he rushed for 152 yards though Mitchell only played ten snaps.
Shanahan talked about that the duty for substitutions usually lies with the position coaches, though his major concentrate is on play-calling. Even so, he also acknowledged that he need to have noticed and requested Mitchell’s involvement.
For the duration of his rookie season, Mitchell battled injuries but carried a heavy workload when he was on the field. In his final 5 standard season games, he had two games with 27 rushing attempts and 3 games with at least 21 carries. He also had 27 carries in the 49ers’ playoff-opening win more than the Dallas Cowboys.
Mitchell’s playing time drastically diminished with the arrival of McCaffrey in the middle of final season. Whilst McCaffrey is viewed as 1 of the finest operating backs in the league, it does not imply that Mitchell need to have no part in the 49ers’ offense.
