49ers rookie WR Stribling out at least one month with left ankle injury (September 13, 2026)
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 draft, will miss at least one month after sustaining a deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle during the second quarter of the 49ers' Week 1 victory over Los Angeles on September 5. According to ESPN, surgery is a possibility, though no final decision has been made as of Sunday. Stribling had earned a significant role in the offense after strong performance in training camp and preseason.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling will miss at least one month after suffering a deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle during Week 1, according to ESPN. The injury occurred in the second quarter of the 49ers' 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on September 5 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Australia.
Stribling, selected by San Francisco with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, had established himself as a primary target in the offense during training camp and preseason. According to CBS Sports, he turned 13 targets into 11 catches and 109 receiving yards in exhibition games and displayed a strong connection with quarterback Brock Purdy. Against Tennessee in August, Stribling became just the second receiver in the last decade to record seven receptions in the first 20 minutes of a preseason game, per CBS Sports.
The injury itself was noncontact. According to CBS Sports, Stribling pulled up in the middle of a route after cutting toward the middle of the field in the second quarter. He had briefly left the game earlier with an ankle issue and was listed as questionable to return, but resumed play shortly thereafter. The second injury occurred minutes later when Stribling appeared to tweak his left leg after brushing off Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie.
During his regular-season debut, Stribling recorded no offensive statistics. Quarterback Brock Purdy did not target him at all in the passing game, per CBS Sports. Stribling did not record any catches or receiving yards in his curtailed appearance.
According to ESPN, Stribling might ultimately require surgery, although his recovery plan was uncertain as of Sunday morning. CBS Sports reports that while there are no plans at present for surgery, the wide receiver continues to seek medical opinions on the ankle issue, and the possibility of a procedure remains on the table. Kyle Shanahan indicated after the game that Stribling avoided an Achilles tear but said the team needed to conduct further tests to determine a specific diagnosis. CBS Sports notes the 49ers reportedly plan to be cautious with their young asset.
Stribling sustained a noncontact deltoid ligament sprain in his left ankle in the second quarter of San Francisco's 27-7 win over the Rams on September 5 and will miss at least one month, per ESPN.
The 49ers' initial timeline places Stribling's return no earlier than mid-October, pending the results of ongoing medical evaluation. The key variable is whether further testing leads to a surgery recommendation, which could extend his absence significantly beyond the one-month baseline.
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