Stribling and Tonges Both Carted Off as 49ers' Injury Bug Bites
Rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling couldn't put weight on his left leg, and TE Jake Tonges limped off minutes later. Two 49ers pass-catchers down before halftime.
Left the game with a right-leg injury — no start until we know more.
- Stribling carted off at 7:16 in the 2nd quarter
- Stribling ruled out with an ankle injury
- Tonges limped off with 2:00 left in the half
- Tonges: 34 rec, 293 yds, 5 TD in 2025 (17 games)
- Tonges ranks #204 overall, #29 at TE in our model
The 49ers lost two pass-catchers before halftime, and neither exit looked minor. Rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling pulled up mid-route with 7:16 left in the second quarter, couldn't put any weight on his left leg, and needed help just to reach the medical tent before getting carted to the X-ray room. He's been ruled out with an ankle injury.
Then, with two minutes to go before the break, tight end Jake Tonges needed help off the field of his own. He couldn't put weight on his right leg either. Two players down in the span of about five minutes is the kind of stretch that reshuffles a depth chart in real time.
Why Tonges Matters for Fantasy
Tonges is the name most managers will care about. He quietly put together a real season in 2025, catching 34 balls for 293 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games — good for 93 PPR points and a spot at #29 among tight ends in our rankings (#204 overall). He's a streamer, not a set-and-forget starter, but five scores from a TE that deep on the board is nothing to sneeze at.
Stribling, meanwhile, was more of a deep-league dart throw than a rostered asset for most managers. The ankle and the cart, though, point to something that could linger well beyond this game, so anyone holding him in a dynasty format should brace for an extended absence.
The Bottom Line
Until San Francisco offers clarity on Tonges' right leg, treat him as a sit and check the wire for a fallback tight end this week. If the injury proves short-term, his touchdown upside makes him worth stashing. Stribling stays a watch-only name in deeper leagues — nothing to do but wait for the imaging results.
