De'Zhaun Stribling Hyped by Brock Purdy amid Preseason Success, Fantasy Football Buzz

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been impressed with rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling throughout the opening weeks of training camp.

"Obviously really excited about him," Purdy said during a Friday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (0:25 mark). "He's a smart kid. He's come in, learned our offense. He's got strong hands, great route runner, all the reasons why we drafted him. He's shown it and proven it. Just having him in there with a guy like Mike, Deebo, Demarcus Robinson, we've got a great room of receivers. For him to be able to learn from them but also be able to go out and show that he's willing to be in that starting rotation. He has shown that at camp. We're all really excited about him."

The 49ers selected Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft, adding him with the No. 33 overall pick.

He wrapped up an encouraging performance during San Francisco's 41-17 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, catching four of his five targets for 46 yards.

The 23-year-old also hauled in seven receptions for 63 yards during his preseason debut against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 14.

With Stribling's early production as well as the praise he received from Purdy, it isn't difficult to imagine him immediately becoming a key piece of San Francisco's passing attack. It also makes him an intriguing option for fantasy football managers.

The 49ers will open their 2026 campaign against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10.