The 49ers on Thursday will activate wide receiver Richie James from the non-football injury list, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
James has been out since June after sustaining a fractured right wrist while working out in Florida. After a brief stay on the reserve/COVID-19 list to open training camp, James was placed on the non-football injury list.
James is a strong candidate for a spot on the 49ers' 53-man roster despite not taking part in a practice with his teammates this summer. The 49ers likely will decide between James and veteran Tavon Austin for the final spot among the team's wide receivers.
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NFL teams must trim their 80-player roster to 53 by Saturday, 1 p.m. James proved himself last year with a solid season as the 49ers' return specialist.
James ranked fifth in the NFL with 264 yards on punt returns for an 8.0 average.
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He handled every punt cleanly during the regular season, but muffed his first punt-return attempt in Super Bowl LIV, which he immediately recovered for no gain.
San Francisco 49ers
James, a third-year pro from Middle Tennessee, appeared in 16 games last season and caught six passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. As a rookie in 2018, he caught nine passes for 130 yards and one touchdown.