The 49ers have barely settled into camp, but De'Zhaun Stribling is already forcing his way into the conversation. The rookie wideout has been a standout every day in practice, and his seven-catch showing in the first preseason game has put him on Rookie of the Year watch.
That buzz got a little more complicated when Mike Evans exited a joint practice with the Chargers early because of soreness. He was seen icing his ankle, enough to send a ripple through the 49er fanbase. The injury is not believed to be serious, but it did serve as a reminder that the wide receiver room may not be as sturdy as it looks, and that leaning on a group led by Stribling might not be the safest path for Brock Purdy.
Former wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh put the concern bluntly in a recent soundbite.
"If Stribling gets 1,000 yards this year, the 49ers aren't winning. They're relying on him too much," the former NFL wideout said."What team [with] Super Bowl aspirations is counting on a rookie to give them 1,000 yards?".
That’s the uncomfortable part of Stribling’s rapid rise: if he’s putting up those kinds of numbers, something else probably went sideways. He hasn’t taken a professional snap yet, and the biggest thing he’s missing is experience. Purdy, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey have all been through a Super Bowl before, and they know how thin the margin gets in January.
That’s also why Houshmandzadeh’s point lands. Most teams with real title hopes are not planning around a rookie pass catcher. The one other contender mentioned in that lane is the Philadelphia Eagles, and Makai Lemon is only projected as their number two or three option in the passing game.
For San Francisco, the issue gets even sharper with Kittle rehabbing and Evans already showing his age. That could leave the 49ers in the unusual spot of depending on an unproven player to produce veteran-level results. Stribling never topped 1,000 receiving yards in college, either.
So the question hanging over camp is a simple one: if Evans keeps trending downward, does Stribling become the center of the offense? The 49ers may not have much choice but to find out.
In Other News...
49ers Roster Battle Took A Turn During This Preseason Blowout
The 49ers turned a preseason blowout into a long look at the bottom of the roster, and the game quickly became more about auditions than the score. Brock Purdy played briefly before giving way, San Francisco was up 20-3 by halftime and stretched the margin to 41-9 in the second half, opening the door for a cluster of rookies and fringe players to get extended snaps in a live setting.
Jacob Cowing, DeZhaun Stribling, Kaelon Black, Carver Willis, Austen Pleasants and Jalen Stroman all saw meaningful action, with the results mixed as the staff sorted through a crowded roster battle. Adrian Martinez handled the second half and left a little bit of everything on the tape, including a pick-six, but also a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown as the 49ers kept the scoreboard moving while the evaluation window stayed wide open. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Pileup Is Raising New Concerns Before Week 1
The 49ers left their preseason game against the Chargers with more than just the usual August bruises. Guard Austen Pleasants was ruled out with a knee injury, and rookie cornerback Renardo Green also left the contest and was questionable to return before ultimately not coming back. For a team trying to get through camp healthy and ready for Week 1, those are the kinds of exits that can linger well beyond one exhibition game.
Kyle Shanahans update on the defensive front added another layer to the concern, even if it came with some cautious optimism. He said Nick Bosa is making progress, while Mykel Williams is still trending toward missing the season opener. With the regular season approaching, the 49ers are once again navigating the uncomfortable mix of waiting, monitoring, and hoping the injury report does not keep growing. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Facing Uncomfortable Roster Calls As Two Camp Battles Intensify
The 49ers are moving deeper into preseason evaluation mode, and a couple of roster questions are starting to feel less like camp chatter and more like decisions the front office may have to live with. Christian McCaffrey remains part of the bigger picture, but the more immediate pressure is on players such as Kirk and Colby, whose place on the roster now depends on how the team weighs performance, health, and fit as August unfolds.
Kirks case has become especially tricky because the injury interruptions have stacked up alongside a dip in production, which puts him in the middle of a real cut conversation rather than a routine depth chart debate. Colby, meanwhile, is fighting a different kind of battle, one centered on the starting guard job and the sort of interior competition Kyle Shanahan and Chris Foerster tend to use as a true test of who can hold up when the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]