© Mark J. Rebilas | 2019 Oct 31
It’s been a tough 24 hours for the 49ers’ receiving corps.
News broke on Thursday morning that Deebo Samuel, who enters 2020 as San Francisco’s No. 1 receiver, sustained a Jones fracture in his foot while training with teammates in Nashville. The timetable should see him return by the start of the season, but the recovery for that injury is notoriously complicated.
But Samuel isn’t the only 49ers wide receiver being placed on the shelf. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Richie James Jr. also broke his wrist while training and is expected to be sidelined for at least two months.
Deebo Samuel (broken foot, as per @RapSheet) isn’t the only #49ers WR to suffer an injury recently. Sources say WR/KR Richie James Jr. broke a bone in his wrist while training. Likely to be sidelined at least two months.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 19, 2020
While James is towards the bottom of the 49ers’ depth chart, he was the team’s primary punt returner last season, his performances a mixed bag. With two rookies joining the club in Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, and the returns of Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor, the 49ers receiver room is crowded. James is not a lock to make the roster when healthy, and an extended absence during the preseason could cost him his job.