KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The smiles and laughs coming from Richie James in the locker room after Friday’s practice belies the focus and hunger driving the 28-year-old receiver as he anticipates his return after an eight-game absence.
I’ve been ready,” James said Friday at his locker, his tone turning more serious when asked what it’s been like rehabbing from an MCL injury. “Waiting forever.”
That wait will likely come to an end Sunday in Las Vegas when the Chiefs visit the Raiders. James is expected to see his first action since Week 2 at Jacksonville. The team will be without Kadarius Toney, who was ruled out Saturday due to a hip injury, and Mecole Hardman, who was placed on injured reserve with a sprained thumb.
The 28-year-old James returns to a receiving corps in need of a boost. Monday night against Philadelphia, the six members of the wide receiver room were targeted 25 times by Patrick Mahomes, resulting in 14 catches for 123 and a touchdown. Mahomes has a passer rating of just 82.41 when targeting the team’s wide receivers this season. His rating when throwing to tight ends and running backs is 114.45. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is 8-to-8 throwing to wide receivers versus 11-to-1 targeting other positions.
James started the season in backup role on offense, playing 26 snaps along with another 18 snaps on special teams as a return specialist. He caught a pass for 6 yards in the season opener against Detroit and had just three targets before injuring his knee. Then came eight weeks of recovering, during which he focused on keeping his mind in the game.
“Mentally stay in there because you can easily get lost, not playing and not really contributing,” James said. “You can get lost in that mindset but you kind of gotta like – it’s this long season. It’s like I think about it.”
Can James, who is in his sixth NFL season after entering the league in 2018 as a seventh-round selection with San Francisco, inject new life into a position group struggling to find its footing? He believes he brings a much-needed attribute to the field right now.
“Just experience, being there, being in situations where the quarterback depends on you, you got to make a play,” James said. “I think that’s what I bring to the table, just that experience aspect of it. We only have a few vets, a lot of young guys but they’re learning, they’re getting better every week, regardless, if you know or not, but they’re getting better every week. We’ll continue to just create that chemistry with Pat.”
James has 59 NFL games under his belt, which only trails Marquez Valdes-Scantling (86) and Justin Watson (66) in the Kansas City receivers room. All three players entered the league in 2018, but James lost an entire season in 2021 to a knee injury.
He bounced back last season in New Yoork with the Giants, emerging throughout the season as the most reliable target for quarterback Daniel Jones. James shared the team lead with Saquon Barkley in receptions with 57, and was second with 569 yards receiving behind Darius Slayton (724). But his 81.4% catch rating led the team’s receivers, and he delivered his quarterbacks’ a 119.6 passer rating. Among the Chiefs’ receivers this year, rookie Rashee Rice has the top passer rating when targeted (124.6.) Valdes-Scantling is No. 2 with a rating of 80.6
James also brings big-game experience to Kansas City. He’s played in five playoff games in his career, his four years in San Francisco included the team’s run to Super Bowl LIV, where the 49ers fell to the Chiefs. James was the return specialist for that team.
Returning punts is a role where James can step in immediately. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub said this week James is a strong candidate to fill the role filled last week by the tandem of Hardman and Toney.
“We would like him to be the punt returner, if he’s going to be active, if he’s going to help us at all on special teams,” Toub said. “That’s where he would have to help us.”
James has returned 81 punts in his NFL career, averaging 7.0 yards per return. He’s returned 48 kickoffs netting a 22.8-yard average and had return for a touchdown during his rookie season of 2018. It’s a role in which he’s accomplished and comfortable.
“I’ve been doing it for for six years, I haven’t any choice at this point,” he said with another trademark smile and laugh. “You know, I’m a team player, wherever you want me to do, I’ll do it.”
Now it’s just waiting to see if the Chiefs will give James his opportunity. The club activated him from injured reserve last week but listed him as questionable against the Eagles. He was on the team’s inactive list, however, and did not play. This week he was was removed from the injury report and has no game-day designation, suggesting he’s ready to go.
“Yeah potentially, we will see how things go this week,” head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “We all have confidence in him that he can jump in there and play.”
Richie is aware of the struggles his fellow receivers have endured and the group’s current image with Chiefs fans. He tries to block out the noise, even if some analysts and fans alike view James as a potential hero coming to the rescue to provide Mahomes
“I don’t really pay attention to it,” James said. “But you know, in my mindset I can give them something to look forward to. But you know, wherever the role is for that week, and this week I’m up, then I’m going to take whatever my role is.”
