James is recovering from a broken bone in his wrist, with the expectation of being sidelined for at least two months, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
With Deebo Samuel recovering from foot surgery and both Trent Taylor (foot) and Travis Benjamin (quad) looking to rebound from season-ending injuries last year, the 49ers suddenly have depth issues at what previously appeared to be a deep position. James played all 16 regular-season games in 2019, returning 33 punts for 264 yards and 20 kickoffs for 428 yards and adding a 9-165-1 receiving line on 204 offensive snaps. Any absence could create an opening for Benjamin, Dante Pettis or D.J. Reed to get more work on returns.