De'Zhaun Stribling, Mike Washington Jr. Emerge as Fantasy Football Sleepers After NFL Debuts

A pair of rookies showed why they should be on the fantasy radar after big games on Thursday.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling enjoyed a strong preseason debut, catching seven passes on eight targets in the first half of his team's home matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. also shined thanks to a 53-yard run in his team's home game against the Arizona Cardinals. He finished with six carries for 63 yards overall.

Stating the obvious, it could be hard for both players to get opportunities this season.

San Francisco wide receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are safely ahead of him on the depth chart, and the same can be said for veteran Demarcus Robinson as well. Running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle will be getting their fair share of touches and targets this year too. Wideout Christian Kirk can also figure into the mix, although he is currently out with a calf strain.

With that said, every one of those veterans have dealt with significant injuries in recent years and could clear a path for Stribling, who has earned rave reviews throughout training camp.

Washington is behind running back Ashton Jeanty on the depth chart. Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, just amassed 321 touches for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns. Granted, he didn't have an efficient year rushing (3.7 yards per carry), but he's now on an improved team (on paper), and new head coach Klint Kubiak just oversaw a successful offense and rushing attack for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. In other words, Jeanty can break out this year.

The Raiders could still use additional weapons beyond Jeanty and Brock Bowers, while any injury to Jeanty could turn Washington into a workhorse running back.

Both players showed what they can do when given the opportunity on Thursday.

Stribling was a target machine and answered the call. He and quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the team's third-string quarterback, formed an incredible connection that the Titans had no response for.

As for Washington, he showed tremendous burst and shiftiness on his run, providing evidence for why he deserves some looks this season. The rookie out of Arkansas had 1,296 total yards and nine scores on 195 touches during his last year of college, providing a glimpse of what he can do at the next level.

Both are certainly worth considering in deeper redraft leagues and dynasty contests, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in Week 2 of the preseason.