SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell is expected to miss all three of the team’s preseason games after suffering a hamstring injury, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.
Mitchell is, however, expected to be ready for the regular season, the source told Schefter.
Mitchell did not participate in the team’s Wednesday practice and was in street clothes before Friday’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers.
Through the first two weeks of camp, Mitchell had resumed the role he took on last season as San Francisco’s starting running back. With Mitchell out, the 49ers will turn to a group that includes Trey Sermon, rookie Tyrion Davis-Price and JaMycal Hasty to handle the exhibition carries.
Veteran back Jeff Wilson Jr. is also on the roster but did not play against Green Bay, along with a large group of key Niners that includes left tackle Trent Williams, end Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner, receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle.
A 2021 sixth-round pick out of Louisiana, Mitchell set a franchise rookie rushing record last season with 963 yards, adding five touchdowns despite missing six games with a litany of injuries (ribs, knee, finger, shoulder and concussion).
After offseason knee surgery, Mitchell came back to camp a bit heavier with the hopes of handling the workload without issue. Mitchell is the second key Niner dealing with a muscle strain after a similar issue landed cornerback Charvarius Ward on the sideline earlier this week. Like Mitchell, Ward is expected to be ready for the regular season.