The San Francisco 49ers will be without their leading rusher on Sunday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that rookie running back Elijah Mitchell will not play against Cincinnati. Mitchell suffered a concussion last week against Seattle and has also been dealing with knee irritation this week.
Joining Mitchell on the sidelines Sunday will be defensive lineman Maurice Hurst, running back Trenton Cannon, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.
While losing Mitchell would be a blow to the 49ers running game, there is a possibility that Deebo Samuel will be available. Samuel missed the Seattle game with a groin injury, but he was able to practice in a limited fashion Friday and has been listed a questionable.
Should Samuel be able to play on Sunday, it would likely be on a very limited basis. Samuel has dealt with muscle strains throughout his time in San Francisco, including six games last season, and the last thing the 49ers can afford is to lose their best offensive weapon for an extended period.
Shanahan also announced that Dontae Johnson will start at cornerback in place of Moseley if he is able to play. Johnson has been listed as questionable for Sunday due to personal reasons.
In the case that Johnson is unable to go, San Francisco would need to turn to either Deommodore Lenoir or Ambry Thomas. The pair of rookies have struggled through much of this season and would face a stiff test against a Cincinnati passing offense that is among the NFL’s top 10.
