James will need to fend off competition from Vance McDonald, PennLive.com's Jacob Klinger reports.
The Steelers traded for McDonald and his sizable contract last August, hoping to get an eventual upgrade in the passing game. It never materialized in the regular season, but McDonald finally broke out with 10 catches for 112 yards in a playoff loss to Jacksonville. McDonald owns a career mark of 13.5 yards per catch and possesses a clear advantage over James in terms of athleticism, but the former Niner has played only 58 games in five pro seasons, catching no more than 30 passes in a year. James, on the other hand, caught 82 balls over 32 games the past two seasons while averaging just 8.7 yards per catch. McDonald is far more interesting for fantasy purposes, but only if he can finally stay healthy and beat out James for the lead job. Training camp and the preseason should go a long way toward determining the winner.