Essendon fans will probably have to wait a bit longer to see Jake Stringer take on another AFL club in the red and black, with the recruit likely to sit out the Bombers' AFLX matches in a bid to build his fitness for the season proper.

That's despite Dons teammate David Zaharakis issuing a glowing endorsement of the former Western Bulldogs forward on Monday, suggesting that Stringer was "dominating" stoppage work and could fill the void left by retired skipper Jobe Watson.

The Bombers' new recruits, headlined by Jake Stringer (left), will be large talking points this year. Credit:AAP

Zaharakis said on RSN radio that the 2015 All-Australian had what it took to make a huge difference at Essendon this year.

"There's very few players in the AFL who can explode from a pack by breaking a tackle or fending off like Dusty Martin or Patrick Dangerfield, and Jake has got that quality," Zaharakis said.