What Week 2 tells us about 49ers running backs in fantasy football

The San Francisco 49ers moved to 2-0 after two weeks of the 2021 NFL season with a 17-11 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. San Francisco’s backfield remains concerning for fantasy managers as more injuries mount for Kyle Shanahan’s crew. Elijah Mitchell remained the lead running back, but the 49ers rotated in Trey Sermon and JaMycal Hasty. All three players suffered setbacks in the game, leading to a conundrum for fantasy managers in Week 3.

Fantasy football analysis: 49ers RBs Elijah Mitchell, JaMycal Hasty, Trey Sermon, Trenton Cannon, Kerryon Johnson

Mitchell still saw a majority of the team’s snaps, with Hasty checking in second. Sermon and Trenton Cannon saw a play each, so they are both likely to be less of a factor in Week 3.

Mitchell finished with 17 carries for 42 yards, while Hasty had five carries for 38 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo ran the ball 11 times for 20 yards and a score, but Shanahan likely doesn’t want him doing that again. If everyone’s health checks out, Mitchell and Hasty are worth looking at in this backfield.

Week 3 recommendation

The injury report is worth monitoring if you have Mitchell, Hasty and Sermon on your roster. The former is the starter and will still get most of the snaps if healthy. Hasty is getting enough volume if healthy, but is a flex play at best. Sermon and Cannon are not factors at the moment. Kerryon Johnson is also not a fantasy factor. Jeff Wilson Jr. is out with an injury, but could be a smart roster play if you have an IR spot available.