Rookie running back Jordan James (finger) is listed as doubtful for the 49ers' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks after being a limited participant in practice all week. The fifth-rounder out of Oregon suffered a broken finger in early August, which precluded him from playing at all in the preseason. Early in camp, James was thought to be a valid challenger to Isaac Guerendo to back up Christian McCaffrey (calf), a competition rendered moot with the acquisition of Brian Robinson Jr.. Even with McCaffrey listed as questionable for Week 1, an injured James has no place on fantasy rosters.

From RotoBaller

Once a sneaky candidate to back up star running back Christian McCaffrey, stock for San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James has declined since the NFL Draft. The fifth-round pick broke a finger, forcing him to be sidelined for a few weeks. Then, the 49ers traded for former Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Robinson is locked into the number two role, and second-year back Isaac Guerendo is currently manning the third spot on the depth chart. Although he's back on the practice field now, James may never get the chance to showcase his talents during a regular-season football game this season, barring a rash of injuries in the San Francisco backfield. Still, general manager John Lynch recently reconfirmed his confidence in the rookie, so dynasty managers shouldn't give up hope yet. The other three San Francisco running backs are regularly being selected in redraft leagues.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Jordan James (finger) returned to practice on Wednesday, per David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. James has been sidelined since early August with a broken finger, but appears on track to be ready for Week 1. The 21-year-old was pushed down the team's depth chart when the 49ers acquired veteran running back Brian Robinson Jr. from the Washington Commanders. However, James could open the season as the RB3 in San Francisco if second-year back Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) misses time due to an ongoing shoulder issue. James would likely need multiple injuries to the backs ahead of him to be fantasy-relevant in 2025, but he's a name to be aware of in dynasty leagues.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Jordan James (finger) is expected to move down the depth chart following the trade that sent Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. to San Francisco. Given Robinson's experience at the NFL level, he will likely be the top option to slot in as the No. 2 running back behind All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. During the preseason, James was competing for a depth role over second-year running back Isaac Guerendo, but he suffered a broken finger earlier in August, which has kept him sidelined since. At the time of their injury, James was slated to miss "a couple of weeks." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but given his injury and the acquisition of Robinson, James is not expected to have a prominent role as a rookie. He is best to leave off your draft board in redraft leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The trade of Brian Robinson to the 49ers pushes rookie running back Jordan James down the depth chart. Dynasty Analysis: James has been a popular late round rookie pick but Robinson's arrival throws a big bucket of cold water on his short-term value. Should James make the team behind Christian McCaffrey, Robinson and Isaac Guerendo, his path to playing time looks murky. No longer fully guaranteed a roster spot, James is a player to monitor the last week of the preseason as he may need to show something to avoid the practice squad. Regardless, he looks to be fourth on the depth chart and that's not anything to get too excited about.

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Jordan James (finger) broke his finger and will undergo surgery, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. As a result, James will be out for "a couple weeks," according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. It's tough news for the 21-year-old heading into his first NFL season, but the good news is that he could still be ready to roll for the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September. Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) is also expected to miss a couple weeks, so San Fran's backfield behind injury-prone Christian McCaffrey is suddenly very thin in camp. Going forward, Patrick Taylor, Ameer Abdullah and Corey Kiner will see more opportunities to prove themselves in practices and the preseason. Unless Guerendo isn't ready for the start of the season, James will probably go undrafted in most single-year fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Bench Targets, Training Camp Injuries, and More Sam Wallace rounds up the week of content at Fantasy Life in the form of an easy-to-digest fantasy football cheat sheet. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James returned to practice on Monday after dealing with a knee injury, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The 2025 fifth-round pick returns to practice as Isaac Guerendo is expected to miss a few weeks with a shoulder injury, potentially opening a window for James to secure the number two running back role behind Christian McCaffrey. James was hyper-productive in 2024 at Oregon, accumulating 1,267 rushing yards while adding 209 as a receiver. Running backs under head coach Kyle Shanahan are always highly sought after for fantasy purposes, and along with McCaffrey's health concerns, James could be worth a late-round flier as a handcuff.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Jordan James (knee) missed training camp practice on Thursday with what head coach Kyle Shanahan called "knee issues." Before missing practice on Thursday, a report recently surfaced that the 21-year-old fifth-rounder had been impressing the coaching staff at camp. As long as his knee issues don't hinder him too much further, James will have a chance to lock down the RB3 duties in San Francisco behind the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo, although the team did just sign veteran Ameer Abdullah on Thursday. James stands at 5-foot-10, 205 pounds and doesn't have overwhelming speed as an average pass-catcher. In redraft fantasy leagues, the rookie RB will be left to the waiver wire but could be a priority waiver-wire addition if both CMC and Guerendo miss time.

From RotoBaller

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Jordan James has played well in training camp so far, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said James "hits holes hard," according to Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows of The Athletic. A fifth-round selection out of Oregon, James rushed for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Ducks in 2024. He's presumably competing with 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo and fifth-year veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. for the backup job to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Given the injuries that McCaffrey has dealt with throughout his career, James could find himself in the mix for carries sooner rather than later. He needs an injury to be fantasy relevant, but James could emerge as an intriguing ultra-late-round handcuff option if he continues to impress throughout the remainder of the preseason.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | With the ninth pick of the fifth round, the San Francisco 49ers add Oregon RB Jordan James. Dynasty Analysis: Another year, another mid-to-late round addition to the 49ers backfield. James will add some physicality as the next man in behind Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo. The rookie shouldn't be much of a threat to either's workload in the short term, but will be an interesting name to keep an eye on, given McCaffrey's age and recent injury history.