Elijah Mitchell start or sit: Week 9 fantasy football advice

Running back Elijah Mitchell has been carrying a hefty load in the San Francisco 49ers offense lately. He missed some time earlier this season because of injuries, but he’s back and hammering defenses over the last two weeks. It’s made him a must-start option in fantasy football lineups, but injuries are clouding his outlook for this week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Fantasy Football analysis: 49ers RB Elijah Mitchell

Mitchell ran for 137 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries last week against a woeful Chicago Bears team. He had 18 carries the week before that too, turning those into 107 yards and a touchdown against the Colts.

The Cardinals are no easy matchup for running backs, in part because they don’t give teams the chance to run much thanks to their prolific offense. But when Mitchell can play, head coach Kyle Shanahan entrusts him with a heavy load. He missed practice on Wednesday with a rib injury, so keep an eye on his status throughout the week.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Start Mitchell if he plays this week.