Bottom Line

Injuries limited Mitchell to just seven total games last season, including playoffs.

Five of those came alongside Christian McCaffrey. Mitchell stayed involved in those contests, averaging 11.4 carries and 1.4 targets per game. But his per-game fantasy production with McCaffrey would have landed him outside the top-50 RBs across scoring formats.

Mitchell is unlikely to have standalone fantasy value behind a healthy McCaffrey this season, leaving him as a handcuff only.

What We Learned Last Year

• Mitchell played just five regular-season games and two playoff games last year.
  • He went down in Week 1 with an MCL sprain and didn’t return until Week 10.
  • Mitchell played in San Francisco’s next three games but then suffered another MCL sprain.
  • He made it back for the regular-season finale and played in the 49ers’ first two playoff games.
  • He missed the NFC Championship Game loss with a groin injury.
• Mitchell played five games with a full Christian McCaffrey. His averages in those five games:
  • 11.4 carries
  • 47.2 rushing yards
  • 0 rushing TDs
  • 1.4 targets
  • 1.0 catches
  • 6.3 receiving yards
  • 0.2 receiving TDs
• His scoring averages in those games would have landed him 58th among RBs in PPR points per game and 55th in non-PPR.
• Mitchell matched McCaffrey with 57 carries in those five games together. But McCaffrey out-carried Mitchell 6-2 inside the 5-yard line. And he out-targeted Mitchell 29-7.

What to Expect in 2023

• Mitchell returns to San Francisco as the favorite for the No. 2 RB job.
• He’ll need to fend off second-year backs Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price. They combined for just 77 carries last year.
• Mitchell’s ultimate ceiling behind a healthy McCaffrey is the usage he saw in those five games last season. But we’re expecting McCaffrey to take on a bigger role with a full offseason in HC Kyle Shanahan’s offense.