Dell was one of the most pleasant surprises in all of Fantasy Football as a rookie in 2023. Despite his diminutive size, Dell proved to be a separator against NFL coverage at all three levels of the field and the Texans didn't limit him to slot snaps only. He led the Texans WR group in target share and Fantasy points per game before breaking his fibula late in the season. Dell has recovered on schedule and is already participating in OTAs. His Fantasy outlook got murkier with Houston adding Stefon Diggs to the mix, but his rapport with C.J. Stroud was so advanced in 2023, Dell should be able to return value on his sixth-round Fantasy draft capital in 2024.
Fantasy Stats
receiving
rushing
fantasy
Year
rec
Receptions
yds
Receiving Yards
avg
Average Yards per Reception
td
Receiving Touchdowns
yds
Rushing Yards
avg
Average Yards per Rush
fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
2024
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2023
47
709
15.09
7
51
4.64
112
10.2
2022
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3y Avg.
47
709
15.09
7
51
4.64
104
9.5
Fantasy News
Texans' Tank Dell: Sits out exhibition finale
Rotowire
Dell (coach's decision) was held out of Saturday's preseason finale against the Rams.
Dell continues to work with the first team offense despite the addition of superstar wideout Stefon Diggs this offseason and continued presence of Nico Collins as the No. 2 option. With C.J. Stroud looking like the real deal under center, the sophomore slot man may be a rare case in today's NFL of a true No. 3 receiver carrying "must-start" status in fantasy (a la Wes Welker with the 2007 Patriots). Dell has already proven his good health -- following last year's fractured fibula -- when he broke off a long touchdown catch in the Texans' first preseason contest.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Scores TD in return to field
Rotowire
Dell scored a 34-yard touchdown on his only target in Friday's 20-12 preseason win over the Steelers. He also returned one punt for 22 yards.
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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Texans' Tank Dell: Ready for training camp
Rotowire
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.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Participating in OTAs
Rotowire
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.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Engages in workout Saturday
Rotowire
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.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Running full speed already
Rotowire
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.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Plans to practice this spring
Rotowire
Dell is making good progress in his recovery from a broken fibula and expects to be ready for OTAs this spring, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Ten and a half weeks removed from surgery, Dell was limited to coaching at Travis Scott's Cactus Jack Foundation celebrity softball game last Thursday, though the wide receiver moved around normally while playing catch with other participants. He started pool work in January, and there hasn't been any report of significant ligament or muscular damage accompanying his broken fibula. Dell plans to participate in spring practices and should be ready for training camp even if the Texans want him to slow-play things until then.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Moves to injured reserve
Rotowire
The Texans officially placed Dell (fibula) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Dell suffered a broken left fibula during this past Sunday's 22-17 win over the Broncos and underwent a procedure to repair it Monday. Per Ben Arthur of FoxSports.com, coach Demeco Ryans confirmed after Dell had surgery that the wide receiver will miss the remainder of the campaign, so Tuesday's transaction was merely procedural. Dell will end his rookie campaign with 47 catches on 75 targets for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Out for season
Rotowire
Coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed Monday that Dell will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on the broken fibula he suffered in Sunday's 22-17 win over the Broncos, Ben Arthur of Fox Sports reports.
Dell finishes his rookie season with 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 75 targets in 11 games. He also had 51 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Dell and C.J. Stroud were on pace to challenge all-time production records for a rookie quarterback-receiver duo, so Dell's future remains bright if he can make a full recovery, but his absence for the remainder of the season will complicate the 7-5 Texans' path to the playoffs. Noah Brown, Robert Woods and John Metchie likely will all see increased usage behind Nico Collins in Dell's absence.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Undergoes surgery for broken fibula
Rotowire
Dell underwent successful surgery Monday to repair a fractured left fibula, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Dell sustained the injury late in the first quarter of the Texans' 22-17 win over the Broncos on Sunday, when he got tangled up with other players while blocking on Dameon Pierce's three-yard touchdown run. The Texans haven't yet confirmed that Dell fractured his fibula, nor has the team offered up a timeline for his recovery from surgery, but injuries of this sort typically require a 6-to-8-week healing period, according to Alexander. With that in mind, Dell looks set to miss the rest of the season, and even a return to action in the playoffs may be unrealistic, unless the Texans not only clinch a postseason spot but also make a run to the divisional round. Moreover, the Texans have the ability to activate just one more player from injured reserve this season, and kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (quadriceps) looks to be the best candidate, as he could be ready to play as soon as this Sunday versus the Jets. As such, if Dell is moved to IR, it will likely spell an end to his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old has been one of the most productive first-year wideouts in the league, as he's put together a 47-709-7 line on 75 targets through 11 appearances.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Fractures fibula, out for 2023
Rotowire
Dell was diagnosed with a fractured left fibula after exiting Sunday's 22-17 win over the Broncos with what the Texans listed as an ankle injury, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. The wideout is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans will likely provide further details on Dell's injury after the game, but the rookie third-round pick out of Houston looks set to sit out the rest of the 2023 campaign after X-rays revealed structural damage to his left leg. Dell -- who had been listed as questionable heading into the day with a calf injury -- didn't draw any targets before exiting late in the first quarter, when he got tangled up in the scrum during Dameon Pierce's three-yard touchdown run. After he recorded 47 catches for 709 yards and a franchise rookie record seven touchdowns on 75 targets through the first 11 games of his career, Dell will be a big missing piece in the Houston passing attack in the weeks to come, and his absence should open up extra snaps for Robert Woods, Noah Brown and John Metchie alongside No. 1 wideout Nico Collins.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Injures ankle Sunday
Rotowire
Dell is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Broncos with an ankle injury.
Dell didn't draw any targets before he appeared to injure his left ankle on Dameon Pierce's three-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Dell was carted to the locker room, and the rookie wideout is expected to undergo X-rays and scans as the Texans aim to determine the extent of the injury.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Good to go Sunday
Rotowire
Dell (calf) is active for Sunday's game against the Broncos.
Dell never managed more than limited participation in practice this week while dealing with the calf issue, but the injury won't keep him off the field Sunday. With Noah Brown (knee) also getting the green light to play after missing Houston's last two games, the Texans will have their receiving corps at full strength for one of the few times all season. Dell should remain entrenched as one of the top targets for quarterback C.J. Stroud after putting together a monstrous 25-369-5 receiving line over the past four games.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Expected to play Sunday
Rotowire
Dell (calf) is expected to suit up for Sunday's game against the Broncos, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Dell is officially listed as questionable for Week 13, but reports have consistently been positive about his prospects of playing. The rookie wideout has scored in four consecutive weeks and gone over 100 receiving yards twice in that span. For one of the few occasions all season, Houston is expected to have each of its top six wideouts available Sunday; like Dell, Noah Brown (knee) is also listed as questionable, but both should be officially ruled in for the Week 13 contest upon the release of the Texans' inactive list 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Trending toward playing
Rotowire
Dell (calf), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Broncos, is expected to play, Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com reports.
Dell was a limited participant in practice both Thursday and Friday, so it always seemed as if the rookie would be available for the pivotal matchup from a seeding perspective. Fantasy managers should still check on his availability prior to Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, but it's possible Dell could see an uptick in targets if Noah Brown (knee) is ultimately unable to play.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Limited at Thursday's practice
Rotowire
Dell (calf) was a limited participant in his return to practice Thursday.
After sitting out Wednesday's session, Dell's return to the field one day later bodes well for his Week 13 availability. However, unless he practices fully Friday, Dell will likely approach Sunday's game against the Broncos with an injury designation.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Back at practice
Rotowire
Dell (calf) returned to practice Thursday, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com reports.
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.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Sits out practice with calf injury
Rotowire
Dell (calf) didn't practice Wednesday, but the Texans are optimistic that he'll be available for Sunday's game against the Broncos, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Per Wilson, Dell had imaging done on his calf after this past Sunday's 24-21 loss to Jacksonville. Dell's injury is regarded as relatively minor, but he'll likely need to increase his practice participation Thursday or Friday to get the green light to play against Denver. If the rookie wide receiver is unable to play, it would be a major loss for Houston's offense, considering Dell has piled up 25 catches for 369 yards and five touchdowns in his last four games.
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Texans' Tank Dell: Extends TD streak to four games
Rotowire
Dell caught five of eight targets for 50 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Jaguars. He added 12 yards on one rushing attempt.
Dell scored Houston's first points with a seven-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. He had a 62-yard catch negated by an illegal shift penalty and another would-be long reception ruled an incomplete pass after a Houston challenge, so Dell came close to having an even more productive game. As it is, Dell still extended his touchdown streak to four games, and the rookie wide receiver has caught 25 of 43 targets for 369 yards and five touchdowns over that span. Dell has also provided double-digit rushing yards in four of the past seven games heading into a Week 13 home game against the Broncos.
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Texans' Nathaniel Dell: Sleeper WRs
Rotowire
When Dell has played well this season he has played really well with three games of at least 20.2 PPR points in seven appearances. In the other four games, he's scored 8.3 PPR points or less, so let's hope he goes off again in this matchup. It's been all about the volume for Dell, who had at least seven targets in each of his three big games. I expect C.J. Stroud to be throwing a lot in this contest, and Dell should be heavily involved, especially with Nico Collins (calf) not expected to play. Noah Brown is also worth using as a sleeper in Week 10.