The Chiefs’ Week 11 Development of Activating WR Is Interesting

During his Saturday media session, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid disclosed that wide receiver Richie James would “probably not” be reinstated off the injured reserve list this week. James was, however, added back to the active roster later that same day.

Prior to the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 11 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, this brings in yet another wide receiver and return man. If James does indeed play, that is. The Chiefs categorized the 28-year-old as questionable for Monday Night Football’s game in their latest injury report. Although his possible return might offer some answers, in practice it raises more questions than it does answers.

What is James’s relationship status with the Chiefs? Only a few weeks prior, there were rumors circulating that both parties were looking into potential trades to move James out of Kansas City. In the end, the veteran remained with the squad and participated fully in practice before a Week 9 match in Germany; nevertheless, the team decided to extend his 21-day practice window. Reid’s statement on Saturday afternoon did not inspire much hope that James would return for Week 11, much less have a significant impact.

Regarding role-playing, what precisely would James do on Monday if he were active? He played 23 offensive snaps in the season opener and had a two-target game; but, in Week 2, he was on the field for only three offensive plays and did not record a single reception. While James was on injured reserve, Mecole Hardman was acquired by trade in the return game. Dave Toub, the special teams coordinator, defended Hardman this week, stating that he will continue to be the team’s main punt returner. So what is left for James to do? Take up an offensive position at the end of the depth chart, perhaps with a couple of kick returns thrown in?

James was coming off of his best-ever season with the New York Giants when he signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs this offseason. The former seventh-round pick caught 57 catches for 569 yards and four touchdowns while participating in all 17 regular-season games. He also has 24 punt returns. It became more and more clear in the two games he had played earlier in the season that he was not close to matching that output. Though there are always questions about Kansas City’s receiving corps, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which James returns and proves to be a reliable option.

James’s situation isn’t helping himself by the circumstances. The fifth-year player may, in the best-case scenario, be active on the gameday roster, play a few offensive plays, and produce a play that elevates his profile for the remainder of the campaign. In the worst scenario, he is a healthy scratch in Week 11, which sets the stage for the rest of the season. The Chiefs are more likely to rely on James as some kind of organizational depth in any scenario. That won’t address the majority of the team’s offensive problems, but it is an intriguing development in advance of Kansas City’s biggest game of the season.