Jalen Royals — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Royals emerged as one of the more productive receivers in the Mountain West in 2023, catching 71 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns for Utah State. He was virtually unstoppable down the stretch, scoring in seven of his final eight games and rattling off three consecutive dominant performances (7/185/3, 6/140/2, and 7/125/2) that put him on the draft radar.

2024 was interrupted by a left leg injury that cost him five games, but his flashes were still there. After a modest start (5/77/1, 6/47, and 4/44), he caught fire over the following four contests (10/112/1, 9/211/2, 10/155/1, and 11/188/1), showing the kind of volume and big-play ability that translates. His career yards per catch (15.2) and a 4.42 forty at the 2025 NFL Combine round out a profile worth paying attention to.

What stands out on tape is the naturalness of his game. Royals runs routes with an easy, flowing rhythm and has a feel for finding soft spots against zone coverage. After the catch, he's a threat, thanks to shimmy and shoulder fakes at the second level, regularly turning completions into chunk gains. His hands are reliable, and his open-field running ability is a genuine plus. His areas that need work are his release package at the line and overall strength, both of which will be tested against NFL-caliber corners more frequently than he faced in college.

My CeeDee Lamb comparison may raise eyebrows given the level of competition, but the traits that made Lamb a volume slot receiver are visible in Royals' game: spacing instincts, yards after catch, and inside route feel. The Chiefs selected Royals in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Kansas City only had him on the field for 86 plays in his rookie season, leading to two catches for four yards on three targets.