49ers RB Elijah Mitchell is out 6-8 weeks with knee injury
The 49ers may be without running back Elijah Mitchell for the remainder of the regular season due to knee injury.
On Monday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Mitchell sustained a MCL sprain in the team’s 13-0 win over the Saints. The injury will keep him out six to eight weeks.
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"It wasn't the news we were looking for. He'll be out likely six to eight weeks," Shanahan said. "He's pretty disappointed. Everyone knows how good Elijah has been, how hard he worked to get back from the last one and how good he's been playing. To be right back there, I know he's really down on it... He's going to have six weeks of frustration, but hopefully, we can do our job so when he comes back, we're still playing."
Shanahan remained hopeful immediately after Sunday's game. He mentioned that the team was hopeful Mitchell avoided a significant sprain like the he sustained in the season opener.
The injury knocked him out for seven games.
A six-week return would put him back in action for the start of the playoffs. Eight weeks could mean the 49ers are without their running back through a couple of playoff games.
Mitchell’s absence likely means more work for rookies Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price. Mason had a career-high five carries against the Saints on Sunday after Mitchell went down early in the second half. Davis-Price was a healthy inactive.