49ers Rookie WR Turns Heads With ‘Rare’ Preseason Performance

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. Getty

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: De'zhaun Stribling #15 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a deep pass over Cor'dale Flott #18 of the Tennessee Titans in the first half at Levi's Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) Getty

The San Francisco 49ers lost 19-13 to the Tennessee Titans in their 2026 NFL preseason opener on Thursday.

The 49ers mainly played their backups, allowing their younger players and guys competing for a roster spot to showcase their abilities.

San Francisco rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling took advantage of this opportunity.

De’Zhaun Stribling Delivers Impressive Thursday Night Performance

“How rare was De’Zhaun Stribling’s performance last night? He just became the second NFL receiver in the past decade to catch seven passes in the first 20 minutes of a preseason game,” according to NFL strategy and analytics coach Ryan Paganetti.

Paganetti later joked on X: “ If De ’ Zhaun Stribling simply maintains the pace he set during last night’s first 20 minutes for all 17 games of the regular season, he’ll finish with: 357 catches, 3,213 receiving yards. @FantasyPts may need to update their rankings.”

If De’Zhaun Stribling simply maintains the pace he set during last night’s first 20 minutes for all 17 games of the regular season, he’ll finish with:

357 catches3,213 receiving yards @FantasyPts may need to update their rankings😂 https://t.co/JdCaaa58RE

— Ryan Paganetti (@RyanPaganetti) August 14, 2026

Stribling lived up to the hype built around him during training camp for his sheer size, speed, and skill.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in July that Stribling was rated as the best WR in the draft by a couple of teams, and the Los Angeles Rams had eyes on him before the 49ers selected him.

Schefter: De'Zhaun Stribling was rated the best WR in the draft by a "couple of teams."

The Rams reportedly had eyes on him before 49ers drafted him 33rd overall. pic.twitter.com/1gxStiyJFZ

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) July 21, 2026

After trading out of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected the Ole Miss receiver with the 33rd overall pick. Stribling was San Francisco’s first draft selection.

The rookie wideout displayed his talent in his first NFL action. Stribling had 7 catches on 8 targets for 63 yards, including a 32-yard reception in the first half. He and second-year quarterback Kurtis Rourke developed an obvious early connection. Rourke was 12-for-14 for 102 yards before leaving the game with a rib injury.

For contrast, Titans No. 4 draft pick and first WR off the board, Carnell Tate, finished with 0 catches.

Stribling’s long reception helped set up the 49ers’ lone touchdown of the game. The Ole Miss product did not play in the second half of Thursday’s game.

Getty SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 13: De’zhaun Stribling #15 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a deep pass over Cor’dale Flott #18 of the Tennessee Titans in the first half at Levi’s Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Social Media Reactions to De’Zhaun Stribling’s Performance

Many reporters and fans took note of Stribling’s first-half performance on Thursday:

Ian Rapoport: “ The 49ers are pretty excited about De ’ Zhaun Stribling , and his ability to catch basically everything has impressed. Good start…”

David Lombardi: “The 49ers can bubble wrap De ‘ Zhaun Stribling . The best WR from the 2026 draft class is ready to go for the regular season.”

Coach Yac: “De ‘ Zhaun Stribling has a mixture of Michael Crabtree and Jauan Jennings in him.”

Ian Hartitz: “As a lifelong fan of De ‘ Zhaun Stribling for over 12 hours it feels pretty good to tell everyone I told you so this fine Friday morning.”

Nick Wagoner: “49ers WR De ‘ Zhaun Stribling has 7 catches for 62 yards. This is largely just a continuation of what he’s done in camp. A little bit of everything and doing against Titans top DBs. Would think he doesn’t need to play much more tonight, if at all.”

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