Fantasy football: 49ers offense ruining top performers’ overall values

Fantasy football: What to make of 49ers’ running back situation?

Grabbing a running back from San Francisco’s roster always incurs some risk. For starters, head coach Kyle Shanahan has frequently gone with the hot hand over the years, and no top rusher from any given year has gone on to lead Shanahan’s offense in rushing the following season.

A year ago, then-rookie Elijah Mitchell was the fantasy football gem with 963 rush yards and six touchdowns, prompting many to think he’d be a smart addition despite carrying with him a notable injury risk.

Well, that injury risk bit right away, as he was lost to a knee injury in Week 1 and placed on injured reserve with the chance at returning in Week 5, not completely ruining fantasy owners’ investments in him but hurting them nonetheless.

Mitchell is the latest example of Shanahan tailbacks frequently dealing with injuries, meaning handcuffs are necessary.

For now, that’s pointed towards veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr., who has 28.9 fantasy points thus far on the season and saw a substantial 14.1-percent roster increase in ESPN leagues after Week 3 when it became clear he’d start in Mitchell’s stead.

While Wilson is far from a top-end rushing option, he’d be worth the start in deeper leagues, especially if Mitchell was originally part of fantasy owners’ lineups.