Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has high expectations for wide receiver Andrei Iosivas entering the 2024 season.
“Andrei’s going to have a big year,” Burrow told reporters on Thursday. “I’m really excited about how he’s coming along. Wherever he ends up playing, whether it’s outside or inside, he’s able to do it all.”
“@AndreiIosivas is gonna have a big year… He’s able to do it all.”
Big predictions for the second-year WR! pic.twitter.com/5OBHKbN0Hg
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 1, 2024
The Bengals selected Iosivas with a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft. While he doesn’t posses the blazing speed to take the top off opposing secondaries, he’s still able to use his 6’3″, 212-pound frame to secure contested catches.
In his rookie year, Iosivas hauled in 15 catches on 25 targets for 116 yards and four touchdowns. While he appeared in 16 games, he was primarily utilized on special teams and was on the field for just 26 percent of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps (via Pro Football Reference).
While Iosivas will still cede targets to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, he could fill in at slot receiver following the offseason departure of Tyler Boyd. The former Princeton standout will also have to compete with Jermaine Burton, Cincinnati’s third-round selection in 2024, for snaps.
Still, Iosivas already appears to have Burrow’s trust and could see the field much more often during the upcoming season. As the quarterback noted on Thursday, he could also serve as the replacement option for Chase and Higgins on the boundary.
Given his proficiency in the red zone and the confidence from his signal-caller, Iosivas should be on the radar of fantasy managers as he enters his second season.