The San Francisco 49ers rolled to a 41-17 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, and when you win a game like that, there are naturally a lot more winners on the field than losers. Still, three players stood out on each side of the ledger.

With all that being said, let’s go ahead and dive right in.

Winners

WR De’Zhaun Stribling

De’Zhaun Stribling is my No. 1 winner for the 49ers, and it’s not even close.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year hype is honestly growing for this guy. He hauled in four catches for 46 yards on five targets in the first quarter alone. He’s just been on fire to start the preseason. Last week he was rolling with Kurtis Rourke, this week with Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, and it hasn’t mattered.

He’s got a great feel for getting open in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme, and you can tell he feels comfortable in it. The 49ers are moving him around, running different route patterns: in-breakers, out-breakers, deep shots, underneath plays, whatever it may be. They’re finding ways to get him the football.

One blemish was the double-move drop on a hitch-and-go. It was a tough play, but with more reps, I believe he’ll make that play in the future. De’Zhaun Stribling is the 49ers’ clear standout from this game.

WR Jacob Cowing

Sticking in the wide receiver room, Jacob Cowing is my second winner after ripping off an 83-yard punt return touchdown.

Now, Cowing is not a guy who I think necessarily makes this team if it came down to the wide receiver room alone. He’s probably not going to see much action as a receiver this season, if any at all. However, his special teams impact, as he showed last night in Los Angeles, should put him over the notch to make the roster. That punt return was awesome, showcasing his full ability at that spot.

LB Tatum Bethune

My third winner moves to the defensive side of the football: linebacker Tatum Bethune. Going into his third year, Bethune tied for the team lead with six tackles on the night and added two tackles for loss. I don’t know how much stock you put into PFF grades, but he earned the Niners’ highest PFF grade of the night at 91.1. He was all over the field making plays, and I think that will serve San Francisco well throughout the season if he’s able to step up when needed in the linebacker room. He popped out on the defensive side in a big way.

This is a big development especially when considering Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw’s recent injury history. 

Losers

QB Adrian Martinez

My first loser is somebody who probably wasn’t going to make the team anyway, but Adrian Martinez didn’t look good. He didn’t look good last week against Tennessee either. He threw a nice touchdown to Jordan Watkins over the middle last night, but two interceptions, including a pick-6 to Junior Colson, overshadowed everything else. He played very inefficient football, was inaccurate at points, and I think this solidifies that he won’t make this roster. He just struggled overall.

RB Zamir White

Staying on offense and moving to the running back room, Zamir White is my second loser. Another guy who probably won’t make this roster, White was brought over and really didn’t show much despite having the most carries on the team. I think he’s a loser here due to guys like rookie Kaelon Black, Sincere McCormick, and even Khalil Herbert all stepping up around him. I expected more from White last night, and I really question his ability to earn a spot.

LB Jaden Dugger

My final loser was rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger, who was getting beat in the passing game. Look, I think he has a lot of potential, and he’s obviously going to make this team as a rookie. It’s not a blemish on his future. But the 49ers definitely needed more from him last night, and it was a rough outing in coverage.

Final Word

The 49ers’ preseason has been encouraging so far, and the biggest takeaway from this blowout is the continued rise of De’Zhaun Stribling. If he keeps producing like this regardless of who’s throwing him the ball, San Francisco might have found something special in its rookie receiver.