Is De'Zhaun Stribling playing tonight? Why 49ers WR is off to quiet start vs. Rams

The San Francisco 49ers drafted wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft and caught quite a bit of flak for it.

The consensus was that the 49ers reached for the young wideout, but the rookie had a strong preseason and the early indication is San Francisco made the right move.

However, Stribling still has to prove it in live game action and so far in the Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams, he isn't doing that.

Here's what's going on.

Is De'Zhaun Stribling playing tonight?

Yes, Stribling is active and healthy, and he has even played double-digit snaps over two drives.

Unfortunately, the rookie has yet to see a target in that span while the other three key 49ers pass-catchers, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans, all have at least one reception apiece.

There's a lot of mouths to feed in San Francisco, so Stribling might have a tough time seeing a lot of opportunities.

We'll see if he can turn things around soon.

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