Elijah Mitchell

It seems like every season, the 49ers' backfield doesn't shake out the way anyone expects it to, and 2021 was no exception. The fragile Raheem Mostert headed into the campaign atop the depth chart, but it was assumed the team had used a third-round pick on Trey Sermon to push him for touches. Mostert did indeed get hurt just four snaps into Week 1 and was sidelined for the rest of the season, but it was sixth-round selection Mitchell that got first crack at the starting role. The rookie made it his own, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown in three of his first six starts. The Louisiana product also missed two games during that stretch with a shoulder stinger, setting the tone for the rest of the season as Mitchell wound up missing six games in total to three separate injuries. Mitchell has some similarities to a former Kyle Shanahan back in Tevin Coleman, as both players possess plus speed and good size but lack elusiveness. Mitchell's lower pad level gives him a better ability to bounce off the first defender though, and his 2.5 yards after contact per carry ranked fifth in the league. He'll head into 2022 with essentially the same profile Mostert had last offseason as a big-play threat who might have trouble staying healthy, and facing competition from a rookie in third-round pick Ty Davis-Price. Maybe this is the year the San Francisco backfield does the completely unexpected thing and sticks with its initial depth chart. Read Past Outlooks