With the news that rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling will be placed on injured reserve, we now know at least how many games he'll miss for the San Francisco 49ers. The injured reserve tag will force him to miss a minimum of four games, which will be in Weeks 2 through 5.
Here are the games Stribling will definitely miss while recovering from his ankle injury:
- Week 2, Sun., Sept. 20 vs. Miami Dolphins
- Week 3, Sun., Sept. 27 vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Week 4, Sun., Oct. 4 vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 5, Sun., Oct. 11 at Seattle Seahawks
The worst part of this stretch is he'll miss three consecutive home games, including two divisional matchups and one against the AFC runner-up in 2025. Fortunately, the first games on the schedule against the Dolphins and Cardinals should be easier matchups given each of those teams' respective secondaries.
But just because Stribling will automatically miss four games doesn't mean he'll miss more.
For instance, New England Patriots receiver A.J. Brown is reportedly expected to miss at least six games with a high ankle sprain. Stribling could need surgery for his deltoid sprain, and reports indicate that he'll be out for "at least a month," which could.
Considering the 49ers have their bye in Week 8, it could behoove them to be cautious with their second-round pick and keep him off the field until Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. If that's the case, Stribling would also miss Week 6 against the Washington Commanders and Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons — two more seemingly easy matchups.
If Stribling opts for surgery, his timetable to return could be three to four months, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That would put his return into the final few games of the 2026 season.
Whatever route the 49ers and Stribling go down, they'll need to consider the long-term future of their young receiver.
This is a shockingly similar scenario that unfolded in 2025 when Ricky Pearsall sustained a PCL injury in Week 4. He didn't get surgery but didn't return until Week 11 after a six-game absence. He played four more games that season before also missing Weeks 16, 18 and the NFC Wild-Card round. Pearsall and the 49ers' decision to skip surgery may have cost him the 2026 season, too, as he ended up needing to repair his knee injury anyway after re-aggravating it this offseason and being placed on injured reserve.
At the very least, Stribling will be out for the next four games. How much longer the 49ers hold him out will remain to be seen, though. The 49ers will have to be careful with when or if they designate Stribling to return: Once a player is cleared to practice, there will be a 21-day clock where the team must activate the player to the 53-man roster, or the player reverts to season-ending injured reserve.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers schedule: Which games will De’Zhaun Stribling miss while on IR?
