49ers projected to make De'Zhuan Stribling decision that would make almost no sense

But seeing Christian Kirk, who signed a cheap contract in free agency, starting over Stribling would be a move that makes almost no sense.

The only reason why such a projection could work is that this is merely just what the 49ers will do in the first few weeks of the season, assuming Stribling isn't caught up to speed with Kyle Shanahan's offense.

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Such a scenario is possible, though it would be a bit disappointing for the 49ers' top pick in the draft to not start despite having a clear path to do so.

Stribling should be starting right away for the 49ers in 2026, as Kirk should not be better than him. Stribling's upside is something that the 49ers should be trying to tap into right away.

While there wasn't a ton of support for this pick by John Lynch and Shanahan, if they're to prove the doubters wrong, getting Stribling into the starting offense makes the most sense.

But if he were to sit on the sidelines for the early portion of the season, it would feel like a waste. Stribling should be in the starting offense for the 49ers, and this projection of Kirk over him would make very little sense.

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