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Houston Texans wideout Tank Dell received a major injury update, but there's a catch to this latest news. The Texans are heading into year three of the DeMeco Ryans-C.J. Stroud era, and so far, so good. Houston had won only eleven games from 2020 to 2022, appearing to be a franchise in disarray at the time. Fortunately, since then, the Texans have won two AFC South titles and made it to the AFC Divisional Round in 2023 and 2024. Now it's all about taking that good-to-great jump for a roster that's built to win now.
And if Houston is going to make its first-ever AFC Championship, wideout Tank Dell could potentially be a reason why. The former third-round pick has emerged as a legit No. 2 wide receiver behind Nico Collins and was on pace to have a career season last year. Dell, unfortunately, suffered a torn ACL and a dislocated knee in late December, preventing him from finishing the season and competing in the playoffs. The 25-year-old has been on the mend ever since, but just received an encouraging update from DeMeco Ryans.
Jonathan M. Alexander, a Houston Texans reporter for the Houston Chronicle, relayed a quote from Ryans on Dell's recovery.
“He’s crushing the rehab. He’s doing phenomenal,” according to the Texans' head coach. That being said, Alexander also noted that Ryans does not have a timetable yet about when Dell is expected to return. It does appear that, for now, the Daytona Beach native will begin the season on injury reserve and miss a lot, if not all of, the regular season. Therefore, someone will need to step up as wide receiver No. 2 in Dell's absence.
It could be Christian Kirk who fills this void, or either of the wideouts that the Texans drafted this year, Jaylin Noel or Jayden Higgins. Both Iowa State standouts certainly have chemistry together and are built to contribute to this roster right away. John Metchie III, one of the most inspirational players in the NFL, is another candidate for a potential breakout year.
Overall, the Texans' offense will need to take another leap for them to contend in the AFC. The other contenders in the conference heading into this season have one thing in common: elite quarterback play. C.J. Stroud is still on that trajectory, and while his second year was plagued by a declining offensive line and injuries to key wideouts, he still put together a solid 2024. It's now time for the 23-year-old to cement himself as an elite quarterback, and it looks like the Texans have given him the supporting cast to improve significantly. But getting Dell back at some point would be an extra boost to this team's championship ceiling.
