San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who should see increased roles over rest of 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Wide Receiver Richie James
It’s becoming clear second-year slot receiver Trent Taylor is being hindered by the offseason back procedure he had in 2018.
San Francisco 49ers
Taylor is back on the injury report, questionable for San Francisco’s Week 7 matchup with the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 21. And his injury status is directly related to the surgery he had earlier this year.
And with just 16 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown on the season, it’s not likely Taylor is going to make the serious impact he flashed towards the tail end of his rookie year anyway.
It might be best to place Taylor on injured reserve, letting him fully heal his back and opening up the door for the 2018 rookie, Richie James, to showcase his talents.
James, the Niners’ seventh-round pick from this year’s NFL Draft, is similarly built to Taylor and has the physical abilities to operate effectively out of the slot. While Taylor’s stock is certainly higher than James’ at this point, it’s worth giving the latter an extended look over the rest of 2018.
Especially if Taylor is going to be regularly banged up and questionable.
If James doesn’t look to be the part of a viable contributor, fine. Taylor is still a great option for next season. But if James flashes some playmaking potential, the Niners now have a stockpile of slot options.
And those have value on the open market. It’s a good position to be in if San Francisco plays it correctly.