49ers vs. Packers: 4 Niners who should feast on Green Bay defense

No. 3: 49ers Running Back Elijah Mitchell

This might be a little trickier, considering each one of San Francisco’s running backs carried over from original roster cuts is either out for the year (Raheem Mostert) or banged up in one way or another.

One of those, rookie Elijah Mitchell, suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 after becoming the de facto starter once Mostert went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. But the latest prognosis suggests Mitchell will be fully ready for Sunday night’s contest, and his Mostert-like speed could help replicate the kind of success Mostert had back in January of 2020 during the NFC Championship game.

OK, so Mitchell might not rush for 200-plus yards. But he will play a pivotal role during the game, especially if the 49ers get out to a lead and want to retain it heading into the third quarter.

There’s a good context for a quality game from Mitchell, too, especially considering the Niners want to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers off the field as much as possible and the fact Green Bay is allowing 4.8 yards per rush against this season, good for 26th in the league through two weeks.

Mitchell might not “take over the game,” per se. Yet he could have a major impact and come away with a statement game in Week 3.