Two preseason games in, the 49ers’ rookie picture is coming into focus. Some first-year players are trending toward real Week 1 roles, while others look headed for development jobs, depth spots or a longer wait before they matter.
Among the biggest winners so far is Stribling, who has been one of the best wide receivers in the entire preseason. With at least 6 targets, he ranks seventh in yards, fourth in yards per route run and first in PFF Grade. The next question is a practical one: how many snaps and targets does he actually get in Week 1, with Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson also in the mix?
Black made a strong early impression in his preseason debut, turning eight carries into 33 yards. Jordan James is back at practice, but Black still looks like the backup.
Dugger has also made noise. He has been one of the best 49ers developments in the preseason and has stood out in 62 snaps as Fred Warner’s backup. The real issue now is whether he can crack the lineup as the third linebacker.
There are also a few rookies whose preseason usage has hinted at their regular-season path. Height has logged 31 snaps, including 22 as a pass rusher and nine against the run, and that split should carry into the regular season. The concern is the lack of disruption: zero pressures on 22 rushes.
Cruz has been on the field for 81 snaps, all of them at left tackle. The team has kept him in that spot and not moved him around, which lines up with the idea that this year is a redshirt season for his development.
On the offensive line, Connor Colby is getting work at right guard while Robert Jones and Austen Pleasants are not healthy. Willis, meanwhile, is the one who protected Brock Purdy when the starters played in the preseason, and he should be the Week 1 starter.
Prysock has played 74 total snaps and has been solid in coverage, but he also missed a tackle and has not handled the edge well. A year on the bench behind Renardo Green could help.
Halton’s momentum was interrupted when he was held out of the 49ers’ second preseason game because of injury. That was unfortunate after he excelled last week.
The remaining rookie names are fighting for more modest jobs. Pauling is making a push to stick as a return man, while Thompson is putting together a strong case to make the roster as a depth option.
In Other News...
49ers Owner Jed York Arrest Case Just Got Even More Damaging
The fallout from Jed Yorks arrest in Ohio continues to linger around the 49ers top executive, adding another unwelcome layer to a story that already had plenty of it. York, the principal owner and CEO of San Francisco, was taken into custody during an operation targeting human trafficking, and the case moved through a series of charges before reaching its final disposition in court.
What began as a prostitution charge was later amended to disorderly conduct, and York also pleaded no contest to possessing criminal tools. He was sentenced to two days in jail and fined $1,150, while $160 in cash seized during the arrest was forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, leaving a messy legal record attached to one of the NFLs most visible ownership figures. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have Found A Receiver Worth Watching For Brock Purdy
The 49ers wide receiver room has spent plenty of time lately dealing with injuries, so it makes sense that any long-range draft projection tied to that group will get some attention. In a 2027 NFL mock draft from Sports Illustrateds Gilberto Manzano, San Francisco was linked to Nick Marsh, the Indiana wideout who already has a reputation as a physical, agile target with the kind of upside that can make evaluators stop and take notice.
Marshs path has also added to the intrigue, with the former Michigan State receiver transferring to Indiana and showing the sort of traits that could make him a real problem for defenses down the line. For a 49ers team always thinking about how to keep Brock Purdy supplied with reliable options, it is the kind of name worth filing away, even if the real draft decision is still far off. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Owner Jed York Now Faces A Serious NFL Question
Jed Yorks legal case in Ohio is now moving into a different kind of scrutiny, one that could matter well beyond the courtroom. The 49ers owner was arrested in East Palestine on suspicion of engaging in prostitution, then later pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors, disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools, in a resolution that included a short jail sentence and a fine.
Now the attention shifts to the league office, where the NFL may review the matter under its Personal Conduct Policy. For San Francisco, the issue is awkward even if it stays separate from the day-to-day football operation, because it puts one of the leagues most visible ownership figures in a position where discipline remains a real possibility. [Read more 🡒]