"We'll go with the hot hand," 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday of his Week 2 backfield. He added that RBs Ty Davis-Price and Jordan Mason will compete in practice this week for the #2 RB job. Jeff Wilson will open the Seahawks game as the #1 RB, but as is always the case with Shanahan backfields, it'll be a fluid situation. Davis-Price and Mason are worth stashing in fantasy leagues of 12+ teams.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that 49ers RB Elijah Mitchell is expected to miss "about 2 months" with the MCL sprain he suffered in Sunday's loss at Chicago. Jeff Wilson Jr. stepped in after Mitchell left the game, though WR Deebo Samuel nearly matched his carry total (9-8). We'd bet on Samuel remaining significantly involved in the run game, which isn't great for his chances of staying healthy. We'd also expect rookie Tyrion Davis-Price to be activated for Week 2, after being a healthy scratch in the opener. RB Jordan Mason was active ahead of him but didn't play a snap on offense. Wilson is the only 49ers RB worth considering for Week 2 use. Don't expect him to land high in our Week 2 rankings when they hit the site Tuesday, however.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell is expected to miss "a few weeks (or more)" with the knee injury he suffered in Sunday's opener vs. the Bears, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Mitchell is undergoing an MRI on Monday to get a full view of the damage to the knee. We should get a more concrete timeline for his return over the next couple days, but fantasy owners need to start making replacement plans. Jeff Wilson is the favorite to take over as San Francisco's lead RB, but Jordan Mason and Ty Davis-Price are also worth stashing.

The 49ers lost RB Elijah Mitchell (knee) early in Sunday's loss to the Bears, which left Jeff Wilson Jr. as the clear backfield leader. With rookie RB Tyrion Davis-Price a healthy scratch, Wilson led RBs at 59% playing time and claimed 9 of 15 RB carries. He managed just 22 yards on the ground, adding 8 more on 2 receptions (2 targets). Deebo Samuel served as the other primary -- and only productive -- runner vs. Chicago, including scoring the team's only TD. RB Jordan Mason was active but didn't get onto the field. We'll see about the outlook for Mitchell's injury and who joins Wilson in the backfield. But he looks like the best bet to lead 49ers RBs in opportunities while Mitchell is out.

49ers RB Tyrion Davis-Price is a healthy scratch for today's opener vs. the Bears. Shades of Trey Sermon last year! -- although this one isn't nearly as big a surprise. San Francisco will roll with RBs Jeff Wilson and Jordan Mason behind starter Elijah Mitchell.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows believes Jeff Wilson will open the season as the 49ers' #2 RB behind Elijah Mitchell. Barrows goes on to suggest that rookie Ty Davis-Price might eventually claim that #2 job. But, for now, it sounds like Wilson is the Mitchell handcuff.

ESPN's Field Yates reports that the 49ers have waived RB Trey Sermon. That leaves 4 RBs on the roster: Elijah Mitchell, Tyrion Davis Price, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Jordan Mason. We'll see exactly how things sort out behind (or alongside?) Mitchell. Kyle Shanahan backfields have been productive enough that all 4 players are worth a look in fantasy football leagues of varying sizes.

The 49ers kept 5 RBs on their initial 53-man roster: Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson, Trey Sermon, Ty Davis-Price and Jordan Mason. Mitchell is the clear lead back heading into Week 1, but keeping 5 RB is another sign that San Francisco is worried about Mitchell holding up. Unfortunately, there's no clear-cut handcuff to Mitchell at this point.

There's been some positive buzz on 49ers RB Trey Sermon this month, but insider Matt Maiocco believes he's on the roster bubble. "If Sermon were not a third-round pick a year ago, there probably would not be much of a conversation about his status," Maiocco writes. He has RBs Elijah Mitchell, Ty Davis-Price and Jeff Wilson as locks to make the team, with Sermon, JaMycal Hasty and Jordan Mason fighting for the final spot. There's no clear-cut handcuff to Mitchell, but Davis-Price and Wilson are better last-round fliers than Sermon.

The 49ers started RB Trey Sermon in the backfield in Saturday's 2nd preseason game against the Vikings, but 2 other RBs also saw touches on the team's 1st drive. San Francisco sat Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson Jr., along with QB Trey Lance and some other starters. Sermon led the RBs who did play, but JaMycal Hasty and Tyrion Davis-Price joined him for 1 carry apiece amid the team's 4-play 1st drive. Sermon was the only RB to garner touches over the next 2 drives and finished the 1st half with 5 carries and 2 targets. vs. 2 total opportunities for each of his teammates. None generated much yardage in that span. Even if Sermon enters the season ahead of Davis-Price and Hasty on the depth chart, he might still sit 3rd behind Mitchell and Wilson in touch distribution. The primary takeaway here should probably be that this remains a crowded backfield.

Niners HC Kyle Shanahan sounds like he's happy with how RBs Trey Sermon and Jeff Wilson Jr. have performed in training camp so far. "Trey Sermon's come back and he's doing a great job and has improved on so many things from last year," Shanahan told Sirius XM this week. "Jeff Wilson's the healthiest he's been since 2020." Shanahan also highlighted RBs JaMycal Hasty and Jordan Mason just after that, and the whole answer followed a question on the importance of adding Tyrion Davis-Price. The primary takeaway is that Shanahan seems pleased with the depth of this year's backfield, which we expect to be led again by Elijah Mitchell. Don't forget Sermon and Wilson in the final rounds of deep fantasy football drafts, though.

NBC Bay Area's Matt Maiocco says 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan "appears determined to deploy more of a backs-by-committee approach" this season. That would obviously hurt the touch count for RB Elijah Mitchell, who averaged 18.8 carries per game as a rookie. He also missed 6 games with multiple injuries, though, and needed a knee "clean-up" after the season. San Francisco added RB Tyrion Davis-Price in Round 3 of the NFL Draft and get Jeff Wilson Jr. back to full health after he basically lost 2020 to a meniscus tear. Trey Sermon and JaMycal Hasty also remain but will likely need to fight their way into contention for touches. Mitchell is going RB24 in FFPC drafting and RB23 on Underdog right now. That's not a terrible range, but we're not excited about his 2022 outlook -- especially in full-PPR formats.

Jeff Wilson will head to training camp as the 49ers' #2 RB, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Wilson "looked significantly better in the spring than he did late last season when he was still dealing with the aftereffects of an offseason knee injury," Barrows writes. RB Ty Davis-Price, meanwhile, missed some time this spring with an injury. There's still plenty of time for the rookie to climb the depth chart, but don't assume that TDP will begin the season as RB Elijah Mitchell's backup.

Per beat writer Cam Inman, new 49ers RB coach Anthony Lynn “is believed to be high” on Trey Sermon. The 2nd-year RB handled only 41 attempts as a rookie and watched Elijah Mitchell — drafted 3 rounds later — lead the team in rushing. A former HC, Lynn brings a wealth of experience following stops with 8 different organizations. Only 23, Sermon will look to carve out a role alongside Mitchell, Jeff Wilson and rookie 3rd-rounder Tyrion Davis-Price.

The 49ers held RB Elijah Mitchell out of the offseason program following a "clean-up" knee procedure. While an exact date is unknown, Mitchell underwent the procedure sometime in early 2022. Per team insider Matt Barrows, Mitchell is “expected” to return for training camp. Frankly, it’d be a major surprise if he’s not on the field for day 1. But we’ll keep a close eye on the 2nd-year back who’s fresh off posting 207-963-5 in 11 games (10 starts). He'll be pushed for touches by Jeff Wilson, Trey Sermon and rookie 3rd-rounder Tyrion Davis-Price.

Per team insider Matt Barrows, the 49ers loved Tyrion Davis-Price’s burst on tape. He reached one of the fastest recorded speeds of the NCAA season on one run vs. Alabama, according to the team. “A lot of times, guys reach higher speeds because they have the opportunity,” assistant GM Adam Peters said. “They maybe aren’t as fast as other guys, but because they have the opportunity to run 60 yards in a straight line they reach a high speed. (Davis-Price) reaching his top speed in a short amount of space is more impressive.” A Round 3 pick, TDP also brings some much-needed physicality to the backfield. There’s room for him to carve out a year 1 role in Kyle Shanahan’s system.

49ers RB coach Anthony Lynn gave his assessment of rookie RB Ty Davis-Price. “We saw a body type that we don’t have right now.” Lynn said at OTAs. “A bigger back that can run, and physical, who can block. You want that thunder and lightning approach. We have some guys who can move around. We’ve got lightning. Hopefully Ty brings that thunder.” Added Lynn: “He’s made a couple cuts on the field that shows his natural running ability. And for a big man to be able move the way he can move, and he’s shown some soft hands. I will get him right pass protection-wise, but right now, in shorts, we have no idea.” The San Francisco backfield is certainly one to watch closely over the next few months.

49ers 3rd-round rookie RB Ty Davis-Price said he plans to play this season between 220 and 222 pounds. He cut down to 211 to run a 4.48 forty at the Combine. According to David Lombardi of The Athletic, a heavier TDP “signals that the 49ers are indeed trying to add more thump to a backfield that might be asked to execute more inside-zone runs with Trey Lance.” The LSU product enters the summer looking to carve out a role alongside Elijah Mitchell.