Joe Royer

Royer didn't athletically test at the combine or his pro day, as he has dealt with a hamstring injury. Royer has average burst off the line. Royer played 49.3-49.8% in the slot across his final two seasons in college. He was mainly a dump-and-run option for the Cincy passing attack, where his main assignment was to chip on the line and leak out into the flat. He's a serviceable option against zone coverage as an ancillary piece to an NFL passing attack. He still needs to improve his pacing/spacing against zone, as he'll drift at times with routes and fail to hit his mark with timing routes. Royer will need to continue to add nuance to his routes, as he wasn't asked to run a full route tree in college. His hips are a little tight, which shows up when he's asked to sink and gear down with comebacks, curls, hinge routes, etc. Royer has solid run-after-catch skills. He transitions from receiver to runner well, with the play strength to break some tackles in the open field. He's not an overly dynamic or twitchy player, though. In 2025, he ranked fourth in YAC per reception, and in 2024, he was 14th in missed tackles forced among tight ends. Royer has a dependable set of hands with only two drops across his final two seasons in college. His hands and play strength serve him well at the catch point with a 52.6% contested catch rate in college. Royer wasn't asked to handle inline "true pass pro" reps a ton. Across his final two seasons, he had only 91 pass-blocking snaps. He mainly combo-blocked on the edge or chipped and proceeded to get into his route. He'll need to grow as a pass protector in the NFL. He's a more accomplished run-blocking option. Royer is solid as a pulling option with good patience, punch, and sustain at the point of attack. He climbs to the second level uncovered well. Dynasty Outlook: Royer was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Royer will compete with Jack Stoll and Blake Whiteheart for the TE spot on the depth chart behind Harold Fannin Jr. Royer is worth a taxi squad spot in tight-end premium formats.

The Cleveland Browns have selected TE Joe Royer with the No. 170 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Fantasy Impact

Royer heads to Cleveland from the University of Cincinnati where he caught 79 passes in two seasons with the Bearcats. The tight end is an excellent pass catcher on short to intermediate routes who has good enough speed to pick up yardage after the catch. Harold Fannin Jr. had an excellent season in Cleveland last year and is expected to be the starter. However, the TE2 position is wide open and Royer could have an opportunity to pounce on that role.