The San Francisco 49ers are facing some major questions at wide receiver. De'Zhaun Stribling is looking like an answer.
The rookie second-rounder was the breakout star of the Niners' preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, posting 7 receptions and 63 receiving yards on 8 targets.
Half of his yards came on a highlight-reel sideline catch in the second quarter.
DE’ZHAUN STRIBLING IS LEGIT 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/mI8JBDkkez
— Sleeper49ers (@SleeperSF49ers) August 14, 2026
The Niners selected Stribling 33rd overall out of Ole Miss in April, adding him to a wide receiver corps that was, and still is, conspicuously missing All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk last season. Jauan Jennings led all Niners wideouts in yards last year and left in free agency for the Minnesota Vikings. Ricky Pearsall had the second-most and is out for the season with a PCL tear.
That doesn't mean the receiver room is empty now, though. The Niners brought in a pair of veterans in Mike Evans and Christian Kirk during the offseason, and recently welcomed back Deebo Samuel too.
Kirk is the youngest of that trio at 29 years old, though, so finding some younger blood was needed. Stribling was considered a bit of a reach at No. 33 — Yahoo Sports had him as the No. 68 prospect in this year's draft — but he's got legitimate speed with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, good size at 6-foot-2 and was a featured player on an Ole Miss team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Combine his preseason opener performance with a good review from quarterback Brock Purdy in training camp, and you have the makings of a good start to a professional career.