Free-agent tight end Jesse James signed a deal with the Saints on Wednesday. The 28-year-old is best known for his time in Pittsburgh, where he spent four seasons before making stops in Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland. In 104 career games, he totaled 157 catches for 1,522 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, despite a few decent showings from James over the years, he likely won't do much for fantasy managers if he remains with the Saints heading into the regular season, considering New Orleans has Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, and Foster Moreau on the roster.
Jesse James, Chase Winovich Placed On Injured Reserve
The Cleveland Browns placed tight end Jesse James (biceps) and defensive end Chase Winovich (hamstring) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday. The two players will now miss at least the next four games for the Browns. James has barely played on offense through two weeks behind David Njoku and Harrison Bryant, and he hasn't been targeted at all, so he'll remain miles from fantasy relevance. The Browns defense is banged up entering Thursday night's divisional showdown with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, as pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney (ankle) has already been ruled out and All-Pro Myles Garrett (neck) is looking questionable to play.
The Cleveland Browns have reached an agreement with free-agent tight end Jesse James. This is a solid signing for the Browns who need depth at the position. The former fifth round pick hasn't done much in the NFL since his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, James has been targeted less than 30 times per season each of the last three years. He'll sit at third on the depth chart behind David Njoku and Harrison Bryant. James does have the talent to make plays, but isn't expected to play a ton in Cleveland. He can be ignored in fantasy formats to begin the season.
Chicago Bears tight end Jesse James caught four passes for 54 yards in the team's second preseason game against the Bills. James was added to the roster only a few weeks ago but has made some serious strides in making the Week 1 roster. James came up with several catches for first downs and was targeted twice in the end zone. Barring injury, James is looking like a lock to nail down the TE3 role for the Bears.
Chicago Bears tight end Jesse James caught two passes for 38 yards in the team's preseason game against the Dolphins. The veteran tight end was a late addition to the team in camp but has made an immediate impact. Reports out of camp have raved about his rapport with rookie quarterback Justin Fields and they connected in the game. The Bears drew up an excellent bootleg play that allowed James to spring wide open for an easy 30-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. James is quickly locking in as the team's TE3 moving forward.
Chicago Bears tight end Jesse James continues to make a name for himself through the first two weeks of training camp. The veteran was a late addition but has come on to make plays each day of camp and is pushing hard to become the team's TE3 behind Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham. It also helps that while working with the second-team offense, James has quickly made a big-time connection with rookie quarterback Justin Fields. James will have to produce in the preseason but, as of now, is making a strong case to make the final roster.
Chicago Bears tight end Jesse James continues to make impact plays only five days after signing with his new team. The veteran pass-catcher has come on strong right out of the gate and has developed quick, albeit brief, chemistry with rookie passer Justin Fields. "You guys have seen him make some nice big catches over the middle, on the sideline," Head coach Matt Nagy said before Monday's practice. "He's got super long arms and he's got friendly hands. It's a friendly target." James will be battling for the TE3 role on the team behind teammates Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet.
The Chicago Bears have agreed to a contract with free agent tight end Jesse James. The veteran was cut loose by the Lions in the offseason and adds to a tight end room that includes Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet and Jake Butt. James caught only 14 passes last season for 129 with two touchdowns and adds a veteran presence to an offense. The 27-year-old was at his best playing in the Steelers offense when he combined to catch 112 passes for 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns over the course of three seasons. James is not expected to earn a starting role with the team but provides depth and can flash with an occasional play during the course of a game.
The Detroit Lions released tight end Jesse James on Thursday, according to a source. James was two years into a four-year, $22.6 million deal and had just 30 receptions for 271 yards and two scores in his 32 games for the Lions in 2019 and 2020. His contract was one of the worst handed out by ex-general manager Bob Quinn, as James was given top-20 tight end money at the time and was targeted just 49 times in his two seasons with the team. The move will give the team $2.1 million in savings against the 2021 salary cap with a dead-money hit of $4 million. T.J. Hockenson is the Lions primary pass-catching tight end, making the Pro Bowl in his second season with 67 catches, 723 yards and six touchdowns. Hunter Bryant will be the primary backup and can create mismatches because of his athletic abilities.
Jesse James Eyes Bounce-Back Campaign Despite Competition
Detroit Lions tight end Jesse James noted Thursday that last season was the toughest year that he had since becoming a professional. Having inked a four-year deal to join the Lions prior to the start of 2019, James produced just 16 receptions for 142 yards, quickly becoming a fantasy non-entity. The addition of T.J. Hockenson certainly didnt help his outlook, but with the duo now having had more time to gel together, they should both benefit from a healthy Matthew Stafford to open 2020. James is a DFS-only option at this stage, although should injuries continue to hamper Hockenson, James could be a high-upside deep league addition.
