49ers trade for Christian McCaffrey, who wins or loses in a big way?

49ers loser: Elijah Mitchell

There’s a very real chance that fans will eventually ask themselves, “what could have been?” when thinking about running back Elijah Mitchell’s career.

The Niners’ 2021 sixth-round pick set a franchise record for a rookie with 963 yards and did so over just 11 games while dealing with multiple injuries. Heading into year two, it was fair to wonder if Mitchell would emerge as a household name.

There’s still time for that, yes. But after Mitchell suffered an MCL sprain way back in Week 1 and was shelved on injured reserve, it’s highly possible San Francisco wanted to find someone who could handle a bigger load while providing significantly more impact.

Christian McCaffrey’s recent injury history is concerning, yes, but he’s exceptionally more impactful.

Now, when Mitchell does return from his own injury, he’ll no longer be RB1 on the depth chart.

And that might lead to him being a relatively forgotten commodity, particularly within the 49ers’ ranks.