San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling suffered an ankle injury during the Week 1 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. While it is certainly not ideal, the 49ers appear to have avoided the worst-case scenario. The non-contact nature of the injury had fans and analysts fearing the worst, but early indications suggest Stribling’s Achilles tendon is still intact.

This will be something to monitor over the coming days as the 49ers have a 14-hour flight back to San Francisco from Melbourne. One thing that can certainly help Stribling as well is that the 49ers don’t play their second game until Sunday, September 20th. 

It’s a very good possibility based on how the injury looked that Stribling will not be active for the home opener next week against the Miami Dolphins. Still, having an earlier game in Week One allows for more recovery time which most definitely matters for the young rookie. 

What happened to Stribling

De’Zhaun Stribling appeared to deal with a calf injury early in the game and was taken out. That ended up not lasting long as it only took a few minutes until he was back on the field. The scary moment came when he was running a post route over the middle.

It was a non-contact injury. He immediately pulled up, took his left foot off the ground, went down, and was unable to put any pressure on that left leg. Stribling was taken to the blue medical tent, evaluated, and eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game near the end of the first half.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after the game that the medical staff confirmed Stribling’s Achilles was still intact. 

Shanahan stated, “They checked his Achilles, they said that was intact, but they’re not exactly sure of the magnitude of the ankle injury.”

That is a significant relief. Watching it in real time, it certainly looked like it was going to be worse than that. A non-contact injury where a player can’t put weight on his leg is about as frightening as it gets, so the fact that the Achilles is intact is genuinely good news.

We’ve seen so many players over the years go down with something non-contact related and it just makes your heart stop for a second. You almost couldn’t help but feel that way when Netflix showed the replay of what happened to Stribling. 

Especially when considering how impressive of a training camp and preseason he was able to put together. 

What the 49ers are losing if Stribling misses time

This is a tough loss for San Francisco, assuming Stribling will miss any time at all. He didn’t record any stats in the opener, but his preseason was phenomenal. In just two games against the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers, Stribling hauled in 11 catches for 109 yards on 13 targets. 

Within those receptions came five contested catches on five opportunities and a 101.6 passer rating when targeted on that limited action. Insanely efficient numbers for a rookie wideout.

The 49ers have been high on Stribling throughout training camp, and for good reason. With the Ricky Pearsall injury and Christian Kirk having to miss time early, San Francisco was counting on the rookie to step up. Losing him, even if temporarily, stings. His versatility and physical nature was all over display in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. 

The 49ers’ receiving corps can hold the fort

Now, don’t get me wrong. The 49ers still have weapons. Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and DaMarcus Robinson all balled out in the opener. All three found the end zone, and that’s a big deal. San Francisco has at least three very capable receivers to put on the field, and the offense clearly didn’t miss a beat once Stribling went down.

There’s no doubt they will want him back soon though. Stribling’s contested-catch ability and his efficiency as a target in the preseason showed a player ready to contribute right away. The hope is that this ankle injury is a short-term absence rather than something that lingers into the middle part of the season.

The 49ers dodged the worst outcome here. The Achilles being intact changes the entire outlook. I think De’Zhaun Stribling is going to be just fine long-term, but for the short term, San Francisco will lean on its veteran pass-catchers while they wait for updates on the full scope of the injury.

Let’s hope the extra recovery time can play a factor in Stribling’s return as well.