The San Francisco 49ers have been at camp for all of three weeks, and rookie wideout De'Zhaun Stribling is already taking the league by storm. His daily dominance in practice combined with his seven-catch debut in the first preseason game has officially put him on Rookie of the Year watch.
Recently, though, his running mate, Mike Evans, left a joint practice with the Chargers early due to soreness. He was seen icing his ankle, which caused some stirrings among the 49er fanbase. Though the injury is not thought to be serious, it is a reminder that the team's wide receiver may be more fragile than many think, and a unit led by De'Zhaun Stribling might not be the best thing for quarterback Brock Purdy.
A recent soundbite by former wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh may give 49ers fans a harsh dose of reality, as the rookie's apparent rise to stardom might come at a steep price.
"If Stribling gets 1,000 yards this year, the 49ers aren't winning. They're relying on him too much," the former NFL wideout said. "What team [with] Super Bowl aspirations is counting on a rookie to give them 1,000 yards?".
A De'Zhaun Stribling breakout would mean everything else went wrong
The sentiment might sound like nails on a chalkboard to Niners fans, but Houshmandzadeh has a point. Like it or not, Stribling has yet to play a single professional snap. He lacks a valuable trait that many of his teammates possess: experience. Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey have all played in a Super Bowl before. They understand that one mistake could mean the end of a team's season come January.
It's why most, if not all, other Super Bowl contenders this year are not heading into the season relying on unproven talent. The only other contender that is presumably banking on a rookie pass catcher is the Philadelphia Eagles, and Makai Lemon is still the number two or three option in their pass attack.
With the rehabbing Kittle still a question mark and Mike Evans already showing his age, the 49ers could find themselves in the unique situation of having to depend on an unproven rookie to put up veteran numbers. Stribling, by the way, never eclipsed 1,000 yards in his college career.
Whether they like it or not, the 49ers could find themselves in a precarious situation this season. If Evans continues to show signs of decline, De'Zhaun Stribling could suddenly find himself at the focal point of the San Francisco offense. Whether the rookie revelation can rise to the occasion remains to be seen.
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