The San Francisco 49ers may be waiting a while on rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling.
NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan said she doesn't expect him back anytime soon. Speaking on the 49ers Talk podcast this week, she described what she has seen around the locker room.
"Right now, De'Zhaun Stribling, I did see him still using a knee scooter in Week 4 around the locker room. So he's not putting pressure on that foot yet, not weight-bearing on that foot yet, still in a walking boot," she said. "So I have a feeling it's going to be at least Week 12 for him. He's not even walking on the foot yet. So he's got to walk, and then he's got to run, and then he's got to be able to change directions. So I'm not sure about De'Zhaun Stribling, how
fast that recovery is going to be. It's going to be a while."
Stribling not putting weight on his foot as of two weeks ago, may not return until week 12 or after, per @jenniferleechan pic.twitter.com/N2eIruL65E
— Juice TD Tracker (1) (@TheJuiceTDGuy) October 15, 2026
Stribling suffered an ankle injury in the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. It knocked him out after only 21 snaps, andSan Francisco placed him on injured reserve. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has anticipated a 10-week recovery timeline for the second-round pick after ultimately undergoing surgery.
The 49ers took Stribling with the first pick of the second round in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. He looked primed for a strong rookie year, catching 11 passes for 109 yards in two preseason games, but didn't catch a pass before he sustained the injury.
His absence is part of a larger problem at receiver. San Francisco has dealt with injuries to several wideouts, including DeMarcus Robinson and Deebo Samuel. Christian Kirk is working his way back, while Mike Evans is banged up.
The good news is the 49ers have won games without Stribling, and they'll likely take a more cautious approach with their rookie in 2026 — especially if they're making a postseason push when he's expected to return later this season.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Insider expects injured 49ers rookie to be out until at least Week 12
