Elijah Mitchell, Trey Sermon 'Will Get Major Chances' with 49ers, Says Peter King

The San Francisco 49ers will lean heavily on the run this season to help second-year quarterback Trey Lance, according to Peter King of NBC Sports.

"I'd forecast Elijah Mitchell to be the stalwart here with Trey Sermon an active No. 2," King wrote. "Both will get major chances, and if Mitchell gets hot early and stays healthy, he’ll be a 1,000-yard back in this offense."

The 49ers tied for fifth in rushing attempts last year with Jimmy Garoppolo under center, but the team could use its running backs even more in 2022.

Mitchell was the biggest beneficiary of the emphasis on the ground game in 2021, essentially coming out of nowhere as a sixth-round pick to take over as the starter. He finished with 963 rushing yards, averaging 4.7 per carry, and five scores in just 11 games.

If he can stay healthy, he could get enough touches to be a star both on the field and in fantasy football.

A big year for Sermon would be more surprising considering his struggle to make an impact last year. The third-round pick tallied just 41 carries as a rookie and finished fourth on the team among running backs in offensive snaps.

Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports reported Sermon could be left off the 53-man roster.

King still believes the second-year player will get a chance in 2022 and could turn that into a productive season.