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Friday update: Mitchell is not on the injury report Friday for the team’s Week 18 contest against the Rams, meaning he’s good to go for the game.
Thursday update: Mitchell returned to practice on Thursday, per Matt Barrows. This puts him on track to play against the Rams in a critical Week 18 matchup.
The San Francisco 49ers face a win-and-in situation when they meet the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 of the NFL season. The 49ers need a victory to get into the playoffs, and they’ll likely need their top running back to have a big game to get that win. Elijah Mitchell, one of the discoveries of the season, did not practice Wednesday with a knee injury.
#49ers participation report
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 5, 2022
Did not practice-LB Al-Shaair (knee), DL Bosa (rest day), C Mack (rest day), RB Mitchell (knee), T Williams (rest day)
Limited-QB Garoppolo (right thumb), LB Greenlaw (groin), S Hufanga (knee), DL Hurst (calf), S Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder)
Fantasy football implications
Mitchell was limited ahead of suiting up in Week 17, so this could be a maintenance day for the running back who is still nursing the issue. If he fails to log a practice Thursday and Friday, this could turn into a real problem for the 49ers. Mitchell has been a fantasy star this season when healthy, taking over for the injured Raheem Mostert in San Francisco’s backfield. If Mitchell is unable to suit up against the Rams, look for Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty to get most of the touches out of the backfield.