RADIO
Eli Mitchell is a 2022 fantasy football draft sleeper at running back and an ADP draft value. Target Mitchell as an undervalued RB in fantasy football drafts.
BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~40 Overall
CURRENT ADP: ~47
ANALYSIS: San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell had a stunningly productive season as a rookie in 2021. As a sixth-round draft choice, few expected Mitchell to become a fantasy starter, yet he finished as the RB23 in standard leagues despite playing just 11 games. This came after Week 1 starter Raheem Mostert went down with a season-ending injury in the opener.
The 24-year-old is expected to miss the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury but is expected to return in time for Week 1. He had been limited during training camp while he recovers from knee surgery. With Mostert now in Miami, Mitchell seemingly has a clear path to remaining the top dog in San Francisco's backfield. However, there will be some competition for this role, and head coach Kyle Shanahan is notorious for his unpredictable handling of backfields. Teammate Trey Sermon was a third-round selection last season, yet his role was relatively small as a rookie.
Should Mitchell struggle early in the season, or if Sermon impresses in camp, Sermon may cut into Mitchell's volume. The 49ers also drafted Tyrion Davis-Price, an RB out of LSU, in the third round this spring. The team must have a plan for Davis-Price, which would likely come at the expense of Mitchell. That said, Mitchell is being drafted as merely the RB24 in fantasy drafts this offseason.
Considering he finished higher than this last year despite missing six games due to injury, this is a fair spot for him when factoring in these concerns regarding Sermon and Davis-Price.
Editor's Note: Trey Sermon has been waived by the 49ers and now the Niners' backfield has less competition for touches.
More Fantasy Football Values and Sleepers
Jerry Jeudy, Luther Burden III, Jayden Reed: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 Fantasy?
It's Week 15, which is the first week of the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues. Whether you made it in and want to win a championship, or are just looking to avoid your league's last place spot, there's still reason to work the waiver wire. Even if you're out of the playoffs, it makes […]
Blake Corum, Devin Neal, Bam Knight: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 15 Fantasy?
The fantasy football playoffs have arrived as we hit Week 15 of the NFL season. Fantasy championships will be on the line over the next three weeks, and these late-season decisions can be the difference between winning and losing. In this article, we'll look at three running backs listed in this piece who have all […]
Trey Benson, Bam Knight, Bhayshul Tuten: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
Let's say you're one of the many fantasy football managers who drafted Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (ankle). Maybe you chose Cardinals RB James Conner (ankle). Perhaps you selected Titans tailback Tony Pollard. If you chose any of these players, you've probably been hurting at RB for most of the season. The same […]
Mike Evans, Christian Watson, Jayden Higgins: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
The wide receiver position is just a little bit more forgiving than the running back position in terms of finding talent on the waiver wire. It's hard to find players that will be consistently good moving forward, though. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (collarbone), Green Bay Packers wideout Christian Watson, and Houston Texans […]
Kyle Monangai, Chris Rodriguez, Devin Neal: Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14 Fantasy?
We are entering the home stretch of the fantasy football season, as managers look to fill their available roster spots with players that are ready to make an impact. Fantasy championships are on the line, and making the best decisions for your team is going to be the difference between winning and losing. The three […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
