The Houston Texans’ season hasn’t gone as many fans expected. After loading up on weapons for C.J. Stroud this offseason, Houston is currently 5-5. The Texans have dealt with many injuries this season, including Stroud, who has been out the past couple of weeks. That said, the team received some good news Tuesday when Tank Dell returned to practice.
Is Tank Dell on the Verge of Returning?
On Tuesday, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle posted a video of Dell catching passes from the quarterbacks. Given this is the first time this has been seen all season, it is a significant step in Dell’s return.
Last season, Dell tore the ACL in his left knee along with his MCL and LCL and dislocated his left kneecap during their Week 16 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. This injury was significant not only because of the damage it caused but also because it was the second major injury to his left leg. In 2023, Dell broke his fibula.
With all the damage done to his left leg, his road to recovery was expected to be longer than normal. Some fans may have even considered that he would have to contemplate an early retirement. Thankfully, that is not the case, and it looks like Dell is nearing a return.
The young receiver has become one of Stroud’s most trusted targets. In 14 games last season, Dell caught 62% of his passes (61 of 81) for 667 yards and three touchdowns. While that was a slight step back from his rookie season, Dell became the Texans’ No. 3 wide receiver for the first half of the season because Stefon Diggs was healthy.
According to PFSN’s wide receiver impact metric, Dell earned a C grade for the 2024 season, putting him in the bottom half of the league in effectiveness. Still, he was an important loss to start the season, which is part of the reason Houston added so many other options this offseason.
While it’s encouraging to see Dell back on the practice field, he had already returned once in the lead-up to the Texans’ Week 9 game. Hopefully, this means Dell is set for a return soon, given that it is getting closer to the time many expected him to be back.
With that in mind, if the Texans are not in the playoff mix when Dell is fully healthy, he should rest for the remainder of the season. If he returns this season, he will join a crowded receiving room that includes Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel.
Houston Texans’ Insights for Week 12
Team: Houston has won two straight one-possession games. All five of the Texans’ losses have been by eight points or fewer.
QB: The Texans have won two straight games with Davis Mills as the starter. It’s only the second time Houston has won back-to-back games with Mills starting. Mills started 26 games in 2021 and 2022.
Offense: Houston has scored 26 points or more in three of five home games. The Texans have scored 19 points or fewer in four of five road games.
Defense: The Texans have allowed 16.3 points per game and 258.1 total offense yards per game. The Bills have averaged 29.2 points per game and 387.4 total yards of offense per game this season.
Fantasy: Nico Collins has seen at least 25% of the targets funneled his way in three straight games and has multiple deep looks in four straight. It’s been a slow burn, but he’s trending up at the right time.