The San Francisco 49ers fell to the Tennessee Titans 19-13 in Thursday's preseason opener at Levi's Stadium, but wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling offered a silver lining more important than the scoreboard. Stribling shined in his debut, which lasted the 49ers' first three offensive series. He showed off his ability to impact games in different areas of the field. He was physical, made some tough contested catches, and overall looked like he the best player on San Francisco's offense against the Titans top defense. He finished the game with seven catches for 63 yards on eight targets. If we eliminate the pop pass he took in the first quarter that lost him five yards, he had six catches on seven targets for 68 yards. The lone blemish on his record was a drop on a tight window throw from quarterback Kurtis Rourke. The QB threw the ball a bit behind his receiver to avoid on oncoming linebacker and Stribling wasn't able to hold on. Aside from the one drop, Stribling thrived. Here are some highlights:
An impressive preseason debut for @49ers' second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling: 7 catches 63 yards All in the first half 🙌 TENvsSF on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/VxhMoyrhFb — NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026 There was a lot of handwringing (including from this author) when the 49ers selected Stribling No. 33 overall in this year's draft after trading back twice in the first round and not selecting wide receivers widely considered to be better prospects. So far through camp and a preseason game Stribling has proven to be the right pick for San Francisco. His outing Thursday puts him in a strong position to secure a starting spot and a huge role in the 49ers' passing game as a rookie. More 49ers: 49ers vs. Titans highlights: 49ers fall in preseason opener This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Highlights from 49ers top draft pick's scintillating preseason debut