49ers vs. Texans: 4 bold predictions for Week 17 contest

Bold Prediction No. 3: 49ers churn out over 200 yards rushing

With the assumption Trey Lance is starting at quarterback, it would make more than enough sense for head coach Kyle Shanahan to feature a heavy dose of the run game to take pressure off Lance’s notable inexperience passing through the air.

It’s a good strategy. The Texans have a putrid run defense and have given up 2,119 rushing yards this season, third most in the NFL entering Week 17. And while a lot of that can be attributed to Houston trailing late in games and opponents wearing down the clock, it’s also of note the Texans are averaging 4.7 rush yards against this season, ranked 27th.

Lance, who has already rushed for 137 yards on 30 scrambles this season, figures to use his legs at opportune moments, perhaps churning out 60 yards on the ground in this particular outing.

But the Niners potentially get a boost, too, as rookie running back Elijah Mitchell returns from a knee injury and will have relatively fresh legs after missing the last three weeks.

With the speedy Mitchell back in the fray, and Lance looking to do damage as well, expect San Francisco to eclipse that 200-yard mark on the ground versus a porous Houston defense.