Whoa, hold up. The 49ers just got hit with some brutal news right out of the gate, with second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling now sidelined for around 10 weeks after ankle surgery. This is a massive blow, especially considering how much trust they put in him early on.
A Key Weapon Sidelined Early
Stribling was absolutely set for a huge role. Before his injury, the dude was leading the entire 49ers squad in wide receiver snaps, playing over even Deebo Samuel in two-receiver sets. He was supposed to step up big time after Ricky Pearsall went down in training camp. Ten weeks out means a huge chunk of the early season without a guy who was clearly a key piece of their offensive strategy. Talk about a gut punch to kick things off!
Young Guns Stepping Up
Despite the Stribling setback, six of the eight rookies drafted by the 49ers actually saw action in Week 1, and some of them definitely made their presence felt. Kaelon Black, for instance, got a serious workload. He rolled for 65 yards on 14 carries, getting 28 snaps compared to Christian McCaffrey’s 36. Black was running routes, too, hitting 12 of them, plus tackling pass protection duties. Head coach Kyle Shanahan straight up said he thought Black “did well.”
Then there’s fifth-round pick Jaden Dugger. This guy had a huge role, clocking 34 snaps as the 49ers’ third linebacker behind Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. They were moving him all over the field, with 21 snaps in the box and 11 on the line, according to PFF. Shanahan was “quite pleased” with his performance, even calling it his “best game yet” after a lot of preseason playing time. On the defensive line, Gracen Halton stepped into a big spot with 31 snaps at defensive tackle, second only to Osa Odighizuwa. Shanahan gave him props for being ready, especially since he was just back from a high ankle injury.
Still Finding Their Feet
Not every rookie made a splash, though. Romello Height played 30 snaps up front on defense, rushing the passer 18 times but not getting a single pressure. Carver Willis was strictly special teams, and Ephesians Prysock and Enrique Cruz didn’t even hit the field. Shanahan was generally positive about the young defensive guys stepping up, especially with Alfred Collins, Sam Okuayinonu, and James Thompson dealing with their own early week issues. He was “really impressed” they were ready.
So, what’s next? Shanahan’s got a lot to figure out after Week 1, especially with these young guys still trying to prove themselves. It’s early, but how these rookies adapt, particularly with Stribling out, is gonna be huge for the 49ers’ season. Keep an eye on those snap counts, folks, because the youth movement is definitely underway, for better or worse.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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