San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who could lose jobs after 2020 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers wide receiver Richie James
It’s still a worthy question why Kyle Shanahan hasn’t utilized wide receiver Richie James more on offense.
Last season, for example, James averaged 27.5 yards per reception, which would have put him towards the very top of qualifiers around the league if he qualified. But considering James had just six receptions on 10 targets and saw the field for only 204 offensive snaps (19.2 percent), one can easily wonder about his future heading into 2020.
James was relegated to a return specialist last season. And those roles are only guaranteed if the specialist is more than dynamic, and James doesn’t necessarily fall into that category.
Complicating the matter is the 49ers’ multitude of efforts reinforcing the wide receiver room during the offseason. In addition to bringing aboard the veteran, Travis Benjamin, in free agency, the Niners also selected former Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Tennessee wideout Jauan Jennings in Rounds 1 and 7, respectively.
Aiyuk has return abilities, too, which endangers James a lot. And there aren’t exactly a plethora of wide receiver spots on the roster to go around either.
James has flashed aplenty during training camp and the preseason, and he’ll need to do so again to maintain what’s looking like a fragile hold on a roster spot.