Tank Dell was a full practice participant for the first time since the 2024 season, per Pro Football Talk and Yahoo Sports. Both outlets describe the Texans wide receiver as someone who has not played since a horrific knee injury in a Dec. 21, 2024, game against the Chiefs. The feed summaries don't say which practice it was or give a status for Sunday. They also don't say whether the team has made a decision on his return. A full practice is one step in his recovery, and the reporting we have doesn't call it a clearance to play.
Our archive shows what he was doing when he got hurt. In that game at Kansas City he had six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He also returned a punt for 12 yards. Over 14 games in 2024 he had 51 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns on 81 targets. He added 9 carries for 43 yards. His 2023 season was more productive per game: 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games. We have no 2026 numbers for him, which fits with the reporting that he hasn't played.
Houston needs help. The Texans are 1-4 and third in the AFC South. They won 26-3 at Tennessee on Sunday, Oct. 11, and have a one-game winning streak. Before that they lost 34-30 to Dallas on Oct. 4 and 19-17 at Indianapolis on Sept. 27. Both losses were close, so a healthy receiver could matter in games like those.
1-43rd in AFC SouthStreak W1
Houston's next game is at Jacksonville on Sunday, Oct. 18. Dell caught a pass in his last visit there, on Dec. 1, 2024, when he had one reception for 23 yards on four targets. Whether he plays in that game, or is listed on the injury report as anything other than a full participant, is the next thing to watch. Neither outlet's summary addresses it.
Discussion