Who is Andrei Iosivas? Meet Bengals WR and fantasy sleeper who is praised for his speed and route-running skills

In the NFL, speed is critical and few players receive as many awards for their speed as Bengals wideout Andrei Iosivas.

The 24-year-old WR entered the major leagues without much fanfare and had to wait until the sixth round for his name to be called in the 2023 NFL Draft.

However, he’s done pretty well over the past two years. Iosivas has established himself as one of Joe Burrow’s most effective tackles in Cincinnati, providing a nice contrast to players like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. A two-touchdown performance against the Chiefs in Week 2 was further proof that Iosivas had arrived, even if his name isn’t yet in headlines across the country.

Here’s everything you need to know about Iosivas, one of the fastest players in the NFL.

MORE: Meet Chiefs OL named after Boyz II Men singer who caught touchdown pass against Bengals

Who is Andrei Iosivas?

The golden beaches of Honolulu served as the perfect backdrop for Iosivas’ budding athletic career: The Punahou School graduate was a star for the Buff n’ Blue, was named first team All-Conference on the football field and also starred on the track and basketball teams. His massive frame – 6’3″, 200 pounds, with legs like oak – certainly didn’t hurt.

A few films for the truth seekers, because I know it’s hard to find stuff of mine online. Found a few clips from my phone pic.twitter.com/0onk0X2ycr

— Andrei Iosivas (@AndreiIosivas) 4 April 2023

It was Iosivas’ athletic ability, coupled with his academic prowess, that brought him to the cobbled sidewalks of Princeton. He joined the track and field team and quickly established himself as one of the NCAA’s top heptathletes, earning All-Conference honors three times.

The track star refused to give up on his football dreams and joined the Tigers’ junior football team to further develop his skills. His performances on the junior football team were rewarded as a redshirt freshman. Iosivas made 18 catches for 263 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, earning a reputation as a deep threat from distance.

His fledgling pursuit of a football career suffered a major setback in 2020. The Ivy League canceled the entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Iosivas had to do something he wasn’t particularly used to: stand still.

However, in 2021, he came back with flying colors. Iosivas increased his production to 703 yards and scored five touchdowns, attracting even more attention as one of the most dangerous players in the league.

After leading the Ivy in catches (66), yards (943) and touchdowns (7), Iosivas was considered for the draft. It didn’t hurt that he continued to shine on the track; at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, Iosivas posted the fastest 60-meter dash ever (6.71 seconds).

Last year it was Christian Watson who shot up the draft lists after the season. This year, in my opinion, it’s Andrei Iosivas.

The Princeton WR has a true speed of 4.2 at 6’3″ and 200 lbs. He’s a malleable lump of clay – no matter how high you set him, it’s not high enough. pic.twitter.com/js4dLIlBkk

– Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) 21 January 2023

At 24, Iosivas is far from finished. His progress as a pass catcher and route runner, coupled with his elite footwork on the block, prompted Cincinnati to sign him. A look at his Relative Athletic Score – a metric that takes all of a player’s NFL Combine scores and reduces them to a number ranging from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) – might explain why:

Andrei Iosivas is a WR candidate in the 2023 draft. He scored a 9.96 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This was 14th out of 3048 WRs from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/X6YqWnv4u7 pic.twitter.com/H6HY22ZS9h

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) 15 April 2023

Iosivas received regular playing time as a rookie, making 15 catches for 116 yards. He was especially effective in the red zone, scoring four touchdowns, most of them from close range. If Sunday’s performance was any indication, those numbers could be even higher in 2024.

Not bad for an unknown boy from Honolulu.

Ethnicity of Andrei Iosivas

Iosivas has an international background. His father, Mihai, is a software developer and entrepreneur from Romania. Iosivas’ mother, Evelyn, is from the Philippines. She speaks three languages: English, Japanese and Tagalog, a language spoken by the Filipino Tagalog people.

Where does Andre Iosivas come from?

Iosivas is a native Honolulu native through and through, having lived in many places throughout his life, including a stint in Japan (where he was born).

Andre Iosivas fantasy outlook

By Michael O’Hara

After a strong performance in Week 2, Iosivas becomes a strong waiver wire pick in deeper leagues. Iosivas generated positive buzz throughout the offseason and was expected to fill the void left by Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati’s primary slot player. With Tee Higgins (hamstring) also out, Iosivas was a full-time player for the first two weeks of the season.

He took advantage of that opportunity in Week 2 by reaching the end zone twice. He didn’t have a single catch other than the short touchdowns, but it’s clear Joe Burrow trusts him in key situations. He’ll be a touchdown-dependent flex in the coming weeks, as Higgins will likely return to the lineup soon.