Dell scored a 34-yard touchdown on his only target in Friday's 20-12 preseason win over the Steelers. Dell found a seam down the field then broke away from a pack of Pittsburgh defenders to get into the end zone on his only reception. It was encouraging to see the second-year wide receiver suit up after a fractured fibula cut his rookie season short in Week 13, and even more encouraging that Dell looked like his usual explosive self on his touchdown catch. Houston's starters played only two drives Friday, but he may see more run in a preseason matchup with the Giants a week from Saturday.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Tank Dell news
Team
Houston Texans
Birthdate
10/29/1999 (24)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'10", 165 lbs
Draft Info
2023: Rd 3; Pk (HOU)
Birthplace
Daytona Beach, FL, USA
Position
WR
College
Houston
Experience
2 seasons
Career History
Houston Texans
2023-Present
(2 seasons)
Dell scored a 34-yard touchdown on his only target in Friday's 20-12 preseason win over the Steelers. Dell found a seam down the field then broke away from a pack of Pittsburgh defenders to get into the end zone on his only reception. It was encouraging to see the second-year wide receiver suit up after a fractured fibula cut his rookie season short in Week 13, and even more encouraging that Dell looked like his usual explosive self on his touchdown catch. Houston's starters played only two drives Friday, but he may see more run in a preseason matchup with the Giants a week from Saturday.
Dell (leg) is participating in training camp, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com reports. Dell thus appears fully past both the broken fibula that he sustained last December, as well as a minor leg wound he sustained during an April shooting incident. With training camp underway, Dell has been working with Houston's first-team offense, per Bien-Aime, while in the process seeing his share of looks from QB C.J. Stroud along with fellow wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins. During his rookie campaign, Dell racked up 47 catches (on 75 targets) for 709 yards and seven TDs in 11 regular-season games, and if the 2023 third-rounder is able to stay healthy, he'll remain firmly on the fantasy radar, despite having to share WR targets with both Diggs and Collins.
Dell (leg) is on the field for the start of OTAs on Tuesday with no apparent limitations, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. The wideout sustained a left leg wound as an innocent bystander during a shooting in late April, but Dell's already back on the practice field and running routes and seems to be an unrestricted participant to begin OTAs. The 2023 third-rounder has already recovered from the fibula injury he suffered last December, and he rejoins a wide receiver room that added Stefon Diggs as a trade acquisition and returns Nico Collins, Robert Woods, Noah Brown (shoulder) and John Metchie.
Dell (leg) ran and performed drills Saturday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Dell is recovering from what has been described as a "clean flesh wound" to his left leg sustained as an innocent bystander in a shooting in Florida in late April. The wideout's workout Saturday suggests that he's progressing well and confirms previous reports that the wound was minor. Given his activity Saturday, there appears to be a chance that Dell will participate in the Texans' OTAs, which begin Monday.
Texans Chief Executive Officer Cal McNair indicated Monday that Dell (leg) is expected to make a "full recovery" from what the team has described as a minor wound that occurred during an April 27th shooting, the Associated Press reports. Though McNair didn't provide details on the nature of the wideout's injury, he noted "it looks like Tank will make a full recovery. We saw him in the office the other day and he looked good, in good spirits. But he'll have to rehab and get back to where he was." Per the report, Dell has recovered from a fibula injury that he sustained last December, but it remains to be seen if the 2023 third-rounder's participation in the Texans' upcoming OTAs will be impacted by the wound he sustained last month. Once Dell has recovered, he'll be in line to reclaim his role in a Houston wide receiver corps that also returns Nico Collins, Robert Woods, Noah Brown and John Metchie, and has been bolstered by high-profile trade acquisition Stefon Diggs. In 11 regular-season games in 2023, Dell made his mark as a rookie by recording a 47-709-7 receiving line, while serving as a key pass-catching option for ascending signal-caller C.J. Stroud.
The Texans have issued a statement relaying that Dell -- who sustained a minor wound as the result of a shooting in Florida on Saturday night -- has been released from the hospital and is in good spirits. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Dell is expected to make a full recovery from the wound he sustained during Saturday night's incident at a nightclub in Sanford, Fla. Dell is coming off a 2023 regular season in which he recorded a 47/709/7 receiving line in 11 games prior to sustaining a season-ending broken fibula Dec. 3.
Dell (leg) and Nico Collins are part of a potent Texans receiver group that now includes Stefon Diggs, whom Houston acquired from Buffalo on Wednesday, ESPN.com reports. Dell is now even less likely to match his massive target volume from the four-game stretch preceding his season-ending leg fracture last season -- he produced a 25-369-5 receiving line on 43 targets Weeks 9 through 12. He should still plenty of playing time, and he'll be part of an offense that could rank near the top of the league in pass rate and/or usage of three-wideout formations. While Dell and Nico Collins both had more success than Diggs working downfield last season, there's little doubt that Diggs' presence will at the very least cut into some of the quick or schemed targets that boost a player's fantasy value. The leg injury seems like less of a concern, as Dell was said to be running at full speed in mid-March and on track to participate in spring practices. The team should have fairly flat target distribution if all the main contributors stay healthy, with running back Joe Mixon likely seeing about 3-to-4 targets per game and tight end Dalton Schultz a bit more than that. The big question -- which will remain an unknown for now -- is how many wideout targets are up for grabs and how they're distributed among Dell, Diggs and Collins.
Dell (leg) recently resumed workouts with private coach Delfonte Diamond, who said the wide receiver will be "more than ready" for OTAs this spring, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Diamond told KPRC 2 that Dell "hasn't lost a beat" and has been running full speed. The workouts reportedly included sprints and sharp cuts, demonstrating that the 24-year-old has made great progress since a broken fibula ended his rookie season Dec. 3. Prior to the injury, Dell had three 100-yard performances and seven touchdowns in 10 games, including a four-week stretch with 369 receiving yards, 43 targets and five TDs right before the game he left early. He, Nico Collins and TE Dalton Schultz figure to be the top pass catchers for second-year QB C.J. Stroud in 2024.
Dell wasn't on the field for the early part of practice that was open to the media, but the rookie wideout was eventually able to take the field. The Texans will release their second Week 13 injury report later Thursday, when it will be known whether Dell was a full or limited participant. Houston listed Dell as a non-participant on Wednesday's report, but head coach DeMeco Ryans is optimistic about the receiver's chances of playing through the calf issue this Sunday versus Denver, per James Palmer of NFL Network.