The 49ers’ Week 1 depth chart may have said more about De’Zhaun Stribling than any preseason snap ever could.
San Francisco still heads into its showdown with the Los Angeles Rams as the underdog, but the rookie wideout has clearly pushed his way into the picture. Stribling, a second-round pick, spent the preseason climbing the depth chart even though he was playing for a head coach known for leaning on veterans.
At first, Kyle Shanahan said the plan was to ease him in until he became more comfortable with the offense. That approach appears to have changed after Stribling kept flashing in camp.
The subtle clue came in the latest depth chart, where Deebo Samuel was listed as the team’s primary kick returner. That is not a normal assignment for a top receiving option, and it points toward Samuel not being projected for a full offensive workload like the one he handled in his earlier days with the 49ers.
Samuel’s role had been one of the biggest unanswered questions heading into September. He’s now 30 and two years removed from his last 1,000-yard season.
The 49ers also dealt with a wave of wide receiver injuries, which kept Samuel among the few healthy options through camp. Still, putting him in the return game sends a pretty clear message.
Players expected to carry a major load on offense usually are not the ones back there fielding kickoffs.
That opens the door for Stribling.
If Samuel is being valued more for special teams than for heavy snaps on offense, Stribling suddenly looks positioned to seize the No. 2 receiver spot. At the start of camp, he looked like a fourth- or fifth-string option. Now, he seems to have played his way into a starting job.
The setup around him matters, too. Mike Evans is the clear alpha when healthy.
Ricky Pearsall’s season-ending surgery, Christian Kirk’s calf problems, and Samuel’s age have all left the second receiver spot unsettled. That uncertainty is exactly why Stribling’s rise matters so much.
And if the 49ers really do see Samuel as more of a return man than a featured pass-catcher, the passing game could have more upside than it has in years. Stribling and Evans are both 6'2" or taller, and Stribling brings blazing speed to the mix. Evans can win down the sideline and remains a major red-zone threat.
With George Kittle working the middle of the field and Christian McCaffrey as a receiving weapon out of the backfield, Brock Purdy has plenty around him. If everything breaks the right way, Stribling won’t just be part of the plan - he’ll be central to it.
In Other News...
Grant Cohn Is Somehow Becoming Part Of The 49ers Opener Story
The 49ers trip to Australia has already produced plenty of attention around the season opener against the Rams, but one of the more unusual side stories has been the visibility of Grant Cohn. The veteran 49ers beat writer has drawn notice there not just for his reporting, but for the way his social media posts have mixed football coverage with snapshots of local food and everyday cultural stops, giving followers a different window into the trip.
Cohn has long been a familiar and sometimes polarizing presence around the team because of his critical style and his public run-ins with players, and that reputation seems to travel with him as much as the 49ers do. In a week built around an international opener, it is a reminder that the conversation around the team can extend well beyond the field, especially when the media coverage itself becomes part of the storyline. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Caught A Huge Week 1 Break Against The Rams
The 49ers were getting ready for the usual Aaron Donald problem before Week 1 took a turn in their favor. Donald will not travel with the Rams to Australia and will miss the opener against San Francisco, a notable shift for a team that had spent its preparation assuming the lines most disruptive presence would be there.
Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the change and the ripple effect it has on the 49ers game plan, since any matchup with Los Angeles typically starts with Donalds location and how to survive it. Now San Francisco gets a rare opening against the Rams without him, which alters both the protection challenges and the way the 49ers can approach the first game of the season. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Sent A Strong Signal On George Kittles Availability
The 49ers made a quiet but telling move this week by cutting tight end Brayden Willis and then bringing him back on the practice squad, a transaction that kept him around the team while opening a roster spot. On its own, it is the kind of depth-chart housekeeping every club does in late summer, but in San Francisco it also fits with how the team has been managing its tight end room heading into the start of the season.
The bigger takeaway is the one the move points toward: optimism around George Kittles availability for the regular-season opener. The 49ers already have other tight end options and some practice-squad depth to lean on if injuries pop up, so there is no immediate need to force anything. Still, keeping Willis nearby is a practical safeguard, and it suggests the team is comfortable enough with where Kittle stands to avoid a more urgent roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]