The 49ers lost wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling to an ankle injury en route to a win over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, and it will reportedly be some time before the rookie is able to return to action.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Stribling is expected to be out for at least a month. Stribling is reportedly dealing with a deltoid sprain and is still consulting with doctors about his options, but is not currently expected to need surgery.
The timeline makes Stribling a candidate for injured reserve.
Stribling was the first pick of the second round in this year’s draft. He started against the Rams and played 21 snaps before leaving the game with his injury.
Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson are the top three players for the Niners with Stribling out. All three caught touchdowns from Brock Purdy in Thursday’s win.