The 49ers started Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft with a surprise, selecting De'Zhaun Stribling out of Ole Miss.
Let's look at the fantasy football outlook for Stribling in San Francisco, both for seasonal leagues and Dynasty formats.
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De'Zhaun Stribling Fantasy Value With the San Francisco 49ers
Stribling had modest seasons in college, clearing 800 yards in each of the past two years at Oklahoma State and Ole Miss.
He scored at least 5 touchdowns in four of his five college seasons.
He is a measured athlete with more production to back it up than some of the names expected to come off the board on Day 2.
At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, Stribling ran a 4.36 forty (95th percentile speed score).
He created 7.3 yards after the catch per reception (WR7 in this class) with only 20% of his targets at the line of scrimmage (WR23).
His route-adjusted yards after catch was 36% above expected last season, a skill that should fit very well in the 49ers' offense.
The 49ers remade their receiver room this offseason, letting Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne walk before signing Mike Evans.
Evans is obviously a clear WR1, and he still commanded a large target share when on the field last season.
There was a slip in his efficiency, though, and Ricky Pearsall has played 20 games through two seasons.
George Kittle is recovering from a January Achilles tear, which makes him questionable at best for Week 1.
Brandon Aiyuk is still technically on the roster, but he is expected to be traded or released before the season.
All of those questions mean there is a path for Stribling to walk into rookie production, and our own Ryan McCrystal views the aforementioned Aiyuk as a reasonable comparison for the 49ers' new receiver.
That is obviously a high bar to set, and the immediate projection for Stribling with everyone else healthy is muted.
This is a clear win for Stribling in Dynasty formats, though, given the age of the other offensive weapons around him outside of Pearsall and the draft capital spent by the 49ers.