De’Zhaun Stribling’s ankle injury took some of the shine off a Week 1 blowout for the San Francisco 49ers.
The rookie left the win over the Los Angeles Rams and is expected to miss at least a month, a hit that changes the early shape of the offense. Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson all stand to feel it most.
For Purdy, the loss is the simplest to see. He was building real chemistry with Stribling in training camp, even with the rookie missing some time because of injury. Purdy had been high on Stribling’s skills, intellect and maturity, and while they didn’t hook up once against the Rams, the quarterback still loses a receiver he viewed as a promising weapon.
That matters because Stribling had already flashed enough in the preseason to make him one of the more intriguing pieces on the roster, even before Purdy was throwing him the ball. The idea was a partnership with real upside. That plan is now on pause.
Samuel’s role should expand right away. The 49ers were preparing to mix and match him with Stribling as the No. 2 receiver, rotating who sat behind the other from drive to drive.
Now there’s no rotation to manage. Samuel is the clear No. 2, and his snaps and usage are going to climb.
The encouraging part for San Francisco is that Samuel has handled a bigger workload before. The question now is whether he can keep that level of impact as the season moves along.
Robinson also figures to get more chances. His touchdown against the Rams may have been a glimpse of what’s coming, and it might even have been a play that was originally intended for Stribling.
The rookie’s vertical ability was one of the reasons the 49ers drafted him in the first place, and Robinson can fill that role too. He’s always had deep speed in his game, and he showed it with that long score.
The challenge for Robinson will be taking on more snaps and adjusting to the heavier load that comes with them.
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