De'Zhaun Stribling — Week 1: Back In, Then Out Again, and Never Thrown To

De'Zhaun Stribling's season opener is two lines in the play-by-play and neither is a catch. The first, at 14 51 of the second quarter, notes that he had returned to the game. The second, at seven 34 of the same quarter — first and 10 from the 28, Brock Purdy short middle to Jake Brendel for two yards — notes that he was injured on the play. He was not thrown to before, between, or after. San Francisco won 27 to seven.

The reporting, from David Bonilla at 49ers Webzone: Kyle Shanahan said after the game that the Achilles had been checked and was intact, and that the team was not exactly sure of the magnitude of the ankle injury. That is the whole of what is known, and it carries no timeline.

What the passing game did without him is the only football in this episode. Purdy threw 34 times: eight to Christian McCaffrey, seven each to Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, five to George Kittle, three to Demarcus Robinson, two to Luke Farrell, one each to Kaelon Black and Brendel. Three receivers — Robinson, Evans and Samuel — caught the three touchdowns. Evans's seven targets were worth +8.2 expected points added, the most of any receiver on either team; expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position, and +8 on seven throws is a receiver who kept converting third downs, which is what Evans did five times.

This is the first game, so there is no season to read Stribling against yet, and one game with zero targets and an injury is not a role. It is an absence, and the question now is how long it lasts. San Francisco is home to Miami on Sunday the twentieth.

_Data via nflverse._