49ers rookie Stribling out at least one month with deltoid ligament sprain
49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling sustained a deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle during the second quarter of San Francisco's season-opening 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams on September 9 in Australia. The injury was noncontact. Stribling, the No. 33 overall draft pick, will miss at least one month, and surgery remains a possibility, per ESPN.
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling will miss at least a month after sustaining a deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle during the season-opening win over the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN.
Stribling, the 49ers' first pick of the second round (No. 33 overall in the 2026 draft), suffered the noncontact injury in the second quarter of San Francisco's 27-7 victory over the Rams on September 9 in Australia. He did not return to the game, per ESPN.
The specifics of Stribling's recovery remain uncertain. Sources told ESPN that surgery might ultimately be necessary, though the team's recovery plan was unconfirmed as of September 13. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan indicated after the game that Stribling had avoided an Achilles tear, but said the team needed further testing to confirm the exact diagnosis.
Stribling, the former Ole Miss wide receiver, had impressed during training camp and earned a prominent role in the 49ers' offense entering the season. His immediate absence creates a notable gap in San Francisco's pass-catching depth at the moment when the team is establishing its early-season identity.
De'Zhaun Stribling, the 49ers' second-round draft pick (No. 33 overall), sustained a deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle during his NFL debut and will miss at least one month with surgery still possible.
The question whether Stribling needs surgery will determine whether the four-week minimum represents the full scope of his absence or merely the start. The 49ers will return to action on September 22; confirmation of conservative treatment versus surgical intervention could come before then.
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Single-source report. As published, only ESPN had reported this development. No independent outlet had corroborated it.
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