JESSE JAMES NEWS

Finds end zone James caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' 33-22 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

Impact With Jimmy Graham (COVID-19) missing this game, James caught all three of his targets, including the only touchdown pass Justin Fields threw. For the second straight game, James caught three passes, though once Graham returns, there's a strong chance James returns to the reserve he held, which resulted in zero catches through Week 6.

OCTOBER 31, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Justin Fields' first TD pass since Week 6 is laser to Jesse James Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields throws his first touchdown pass since Week 6 with a laser to tight end Jesse James against the San F...

OCTOBER 31, 2021 • NFL.COM

Justin Fields makes incredible throw to diving Jesse James for TD Bears QB Justin Fields rolls left, throws back across his body and finds TE Jesse James, who lays out to make a diving catch for the touchdo...

OCTOBER 31, 2021 • CHICAGOBEARS.COM

Targeted three times James caught three passes for 20 yards in the Bears' 38-3 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Impact James took over the second tight-end role with Jimmy Graham (COVID-19) sitting this one out, but he had most of his production when the game was well out of hand. Stuck in an anemic Chicago passing attack while not being the lead tight end, James has limited fantasy upside.

OCTOBER 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Back for Week 6 James (personal) doesn't appear on Chicago's injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Packers.

Impact James missed Chicago's previous game due to personal reasons but should make his return for this clash of NFC North rivals. With Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham occupying the top two spots on the Bears' tight end depth chart, James isn't expected to play a major role in his return.

OCTOBER 15, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin Fishbain: Bears inactives include the four players out... - The Athletic Bears inactives include the four players out with injury (Akiem Hicks, Joel Iyiegbuniwe, J.P. Holtz, Jesse James) plus Nick Foles and Bresha...

OCTOBER 10, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Ruled out against Raiders James (personal) won't play Sunday against the Raiders.

Impact James didn't practice all week and will consequently sit out when his teammates travel to Vegas. Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham should continue to dominate snaps at the tight end position for Chicago.

OCTOBER 8, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Montgomery's knee injury means uncertainty for Bears offense

The Chicago Bears' offense started to click for the first time this season when David Montgomery's 106 rushing yards opened up the way for the downfield passing of Justin Fields to...

OCTOBER 4, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Impresses again James caught four passes for 54 yards in Chicago's 41-15 preseason loss to the Bills on Saturday.

Impact James played with both the starters and reserves, catching passes from both Andy Dalton and Justin Fields, and he was second on the team with five targets. After his second-straight solid performance, he appears to be in the driver's seat to open the season as the team's No. 3 tight end behind Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham.

AUGUST 21, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Justin Fields dials launch codes to diving Jesse James for 32 yards Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields completes a 32-yard pass to tight end Jesse James.

AUGUST 21, 2021 • NFL.COM

Vying for No. 3 role Although James was wide open on an easy 30-yard touchdown reception in Saturday's preseason win over the Dolphins, his overall work is solidifying his role as Chicago's third tight...

Impact Playing primarily with the backups in the Bears' first preseason game, James was second on the team with four targets, hauling in two of them for 38 yards and a score. Although the seven-year veteran has yet to surpass 423 yards or three touchdowns in any season, he has ability as both a blocker and receiver that would allow him to step in if either Cole Kmet or Jimmy Graham was forced to miss time during the season.

AUGUST 16, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Justin Fields uncorks 30-yard TD to backpedaling Jesse James Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields completes a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jesse James.

AUGUST 14, 2021 • NFL.COM

Star-crossed tight end Jake Butt retires from NFL

Tight end Jake Butt has retired from the NFL as he acknowledged he'd lost the passion for the game he loves but which cost him so much

JULY 29, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Signs with Bears James signed a one-year contract with the Bears on Sunday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Impact James averaged 377.7 yards per season from 2016 to 2018 during his final three years with the Steelers, but he totaled just 271 yards and two touchdowns with the Lions across the last two seasons. The 27-year-old will have to compete with Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham for targets in Chicago.

JULY 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Lions release Justin Coleman, Jesse James, saving $7 million Releasing Justin Coleman and Jesse James will save the Lions just over $7 million combined against the cap, while leaving more than $10 mill...

MARCH 12, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Lions to cut Justin Coleman, Jesse James; Fixing past wrongs? The Detroit Lions, along with every other NFL team, is feeling the financial crunch following the announcement that the league salary cap wi...

MARCH 12, 2021 • SIDELIONREPORT.COM

Lions releasing tight end Jesse James The tight end will arguably go down as one of former general manager Bob Quinn's worst free-agent signings.

MARCH 12, 2021 • DETROITNEWS.COM

Done in Detroit The Lions released James on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Impact James had the two worst years of his career in Detroit, logging just 142 and 129 receiving yards in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Wherever he next lands, James should at least benefit from not working behind T.J. Hockensen, which could potentially allow the tight end to reprise production levels similar to what he once recorded in Pittsburgh. From 2016-18 with the Steelers, James strung together three straight seasons with at least 300 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

MARCH 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Jesse James and other Steelers free-agent possibilities: Bouchette's mailbag, part 1 The Steelers might soon get under the cap by restructuring Ben Roethlisberger's contract. How then to spend that money?

MARCH 3, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Fewest receptions since rookie year James secured his only target for a two-yard gain during Sunday's 37-35 loss to Minnesota.

Impact Like in most of his outings with Detroit over the past two seasons, James' playing time included the majority of available special-teams snaps plus around half of the offensive snaps. However, with T.J. Hockenson around, he hasn't had as many responsibilities in the passing game as he did in Pittsburgh from 2015 to 2018, which is almost certainly the driver of James having logged career-lows in receptions (14) and receiving yards (129) over 16 games for the second straight season. Unfortunately for the future of his production, Detroit has both he and Hockenson locked up through at least 2022, making James seems unlikely to see a bump in his fantasy stock anytime soon.

JANUARY 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Catches second touchdown of 2020 James caught one of three targets for a nine-yard touchdown during Sunday's 34-30 win over Chicago.

Impact While there will be days like Sunday when James comes through with a touchdown, the low amount of passing volume he sees makes the veteran too touchdown-dependent to have fantasy value.

DECEMBER 7, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Bears on 6-game skid after blowing late lead against Lions

Mitchell Trubisky made a critical mistake

DECEMBER 6, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stafford throws 3 TDs, Lions rally to beat Bears 34-30

Matthew Stafford threw for 402 yards and three touchdowns and Adrian Peterson scored from the 5 after Romeo Okwara strip-sacked Mitchell Trubisky with about two minutes left

DECEMBER 6, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Musters up three yards James was targeted twice and caught one pass for three yards in Sunday's 20-0 loss to the Panthers.

Impact James continues to handle a consistent role on offense, playing about 50 percent of the snaps on a weekly basis. His production is capped behind T.J. Hockenson, though, and he's recorded just 10 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown through 10 games.

NOVEMBER 25, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Makes big gain James caught one of two targets for 31 yards during Sunday's 35-39 loss to the Saints.

Impact James caught his longest pass as a member of the Lions, but he'll certainly remain a complementary piece of the Lions' passing game as long as everyone else is healthy.

OCTOBER 4, 2020 • ROTOWIRE