49ers RB Jeff Wilson (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Related Player: JaMycal Hasty, Trey Sermon

LT Trent Williams is also iffy with an ankle injury. If Wilson cannot play, Hasty would be the change-of-pace option for Mitchell with Sermon mainly on special teams.

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that RB Trey Sermon " should be good to go this week" and is hoping RB Elijah Mitchell will be too.

Related Players: Jeff Wilson Jr., JaMycal Hasty

Nothing would make Shanahan happier than four healthy, capable running backs to play Week 17.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell (concussion/knee) will not play Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans.

Related Players: Jeff Wilson Jr., Deebo Samuel

Mitchell has a chance to be available for Week 17 with the extra rest coming. Wilson and Samuel take on a very good Titans run defense.

49ers Elijah Mitchell's will be a game-night decision Thursday.

Related players: Jeff Wilson

Mitchell is out of concussion protocol so the issue now is his knee. But Inman's tweet said his knee issue has taken a "positive turn." Mitchell's concussion and knee injury came on the same play, according to Inman. The Niners play on Thursday night to kick off Week 16. Wilson would be a solid play if needed, if Mitchell can't go on the short week.

Shanahan didn’t rule out Elijah Mitchell for Thursday’s game against the Titans.

Related players: Jeff Wilson, Kyle Juszczyk, JaMycal Hasty

The story said Shanahan seemed skeptical about the running back’s prospects last week. Mitchell is now out of the concussion protocol but still is dealing with a knee injury suffered against the Seahawks on Dec. 5. Wilson played on 50 snaps last week with Hasty getting just three. It may be a battle to be ready on the short week for Mitchell, however.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell (knee/concussion) will miss Week 15's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Related Players: Deebo Samuel, Jeff Wilson Jr., JaMycal Hasty

Look for Samuel and Wilson to get most of the rushing work for San Fran, with Hasty filling in during two-minute drills or a blowout.

49ers RB Elijah Mitchell (concussion) and TE George Kittle (knee soreness) were not practicing Wednesday.

Related Players: JaMycal Hasty, Jeff Wilson Jr.

The hope was to have Mitchell carry the load Week 15, but no practice for him puts that in jeopardy.

Kittle should be good and his absence considered more of a precaution.

Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Trenton Cannon are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in March. Given how vital that position is, I think the 49ers should re-sign Wilson (no brainer), re-sign Mostert (more expensive, yes, but it’s necessary) and bring in one more additional runner. That would give them: Mostert, Elijah Mitchell, Wilson, Trey Sermon, JaMycal Hasty and _____ to start the offseason.

The author went on to say the 49ers’ motto when it comes to running backs ought to be: We can never have enough. The big fantasy question would be who is the lead back as Mostert, Mitchell and Wilson have all had the role at one time or another.

The bottom line is that once Elijah Mitchell is back and Jeff Wilson is 100 percent — and he’s getting closer — the less of a need there will be for Deebo Samuel to play eight snaps at running back. Maybe that drops to three or four in coming weeks. That seems about right.

The question was part of a mailbag. The author pointed out maybe there’s a slightly higher risk of getting injured on runs through the A or B gaps. But it’s not like Samuel’s playing a dainty, finesse version of wide receiver, either. He’s trying to smash through tacklers every opportunity he gets, the author said.