James (ribs) returned to practice Saturday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
With Christian McCaffrey tending to unspecified tightness, Isaac Guerendo (pectoral) on the active/PUP list and Patrick Taylor (undisclosed, IR) out for the season, James joined healthy RBs Kaelon Black, Sincere McCormick, Zamir White and Khalil Herbert on the practice field in some capacity Saturday. This marks James' first on-field work since July 28, but it remains to be seen if he'll be available for the 49ers' preseason finale this coming Thursday at Las Vegas.