3 Things to Watch With De'Zhaun Stribling in 49ers Preseason Opener

Pay close attention to this with De'Zhaun Stribling.

Aug 6, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (15) during training camp at SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's game day.

The first preseason game of 2026 has arrived for the San Francisco 49ers. It's always an exciting time when teams get to don their uniforms in a game again, despite it being an exhibition.

And while there won't be many starters playing for the 49ers today against the Tennessee Titans, there are still intriguing players to monitor, like rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling.

How well he performs is what everyone will pay attention to, but there are three more important things to watch with Stribling in the preseason opener. I break those three things down below.

Routes

One issue with Stribling coming out of college was his limited route tree. He didn't display a ton of variety in the routes he ran at Ole Miss.

The 49ers have surely been trying to expand the routes in Stribling's arsenal. Look for Stribling to run several different routes against the Titans.

They might not even be ones he runs much of in the regular season. This is the time for the 49ers to see how he looks running routes that aren't simply go-balls or in-breaking routes.

Everything has to be experimental to see what works and what doesn't. It'll reveal to everyone which routes he can immediately execute in Week 1 and which routes he needs more work on.

Formation usage

Stribling has the capability to line up all over the formation, minus the backfield. Seeing how the 49ers line him up will be very intriguing.

There's also the element of motion, which will be curious to see if Stribling will be used a lot for that. I imagine he will. Kyle Shanahan is sure to be creative with how Stribling is used pre-snap.

He can be aligned close to the tight end since he's an aggressive blocker. He can be in the slot or lined up on the outside and be used on a motion. Everything is on the table for Stribling.

Playmaking ability

Last but not least is the main reason the 49ers drafted Stribling. It's for his playmaking ability when he has the ball in his hands.

His yards after the catch are one of, if not his biggest strengths. Watching how he performs in that aspect will be a sight to see. It will help add context as to why the 49ers wanted him.

Stribling can also provide home run capability with his speed on vertical routes. He was brought in to help generate explosives. That is where the 49ers significantly lacked last year.

Even if he can't connect on one, if the potential is there, it's enough. It won't be difficult to tell if he's capable of boosting the 49ers in that category after a few opportunities.

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