Tank Dell Foresees Fantasy Football Promise With His Latest Injury Update

Tank Dell has been held off the PUP list to start Texans training camp, and all signs point towards great production in 2026.

Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tank Dell has been a fantasy football phenom for managers alike over the years. However, Dell has now been out for nearly 2 years due to a catastrophic knee injury. Dell had a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL. Good news now hits Houston as Dell's return appears imminent.

The Texans have kept Dell off the PUP list, which means he will now participate heavily in training camp activities. The hope is that Dell will play Week 1, and the odds on that seem well above 50%.

Fantasy Football Impact

A full-strength return for Dell would go a long way. Our most recent update to our wide receiver projections has now raised Dell to see an 18% year-long target share. We had previously expected Dell to miss a handful of games. He now expects to contest closely with Jayden Higgins for the WR2 role.

Our latest Texans projections see Nico Collins leading the way with a 31% target share. Dell is then at 18%, and Higgins is next right behind at 17%.

The outlook doesn't suggest either Higgins or Dell will steal much playing time from each other. They will both play a great deal of downs and have plenty of chances to pave their own successful fantasy football path.

In PPR formats, Dell is our WR50 while Higgins is our WR54. They both anticipate scoring 3-5 touchdowns on the season with 600-800 receiving yards.

Tank Dell Injury Update

Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans recently spoke to the media. "We're excited to have Tank. He's ramping up on his own schedule," Ryans said. "We'll see next week," implying Dell's return to a normal practice schedule.

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans on Tank Dell:

“We're excited to have Tank. He's ramping up on his own schedule. He hasn't played ball in two years. It's important for him to get all those reps because he's missed so much time. My mindset is to build him up until he's getting ready to… pic.twitter.com/v5WZwWdCAr

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 29, 2026

A video released in mid-July showed Dell working out with Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden. The cuts look crisp for Dell, adding optimism for great football to be showcased this upcoming fall.

Texans WR Tank Dell & Packers WR Matthew Golden working out together at University of Houston:

Dell’s quickness looks very impressive for somebody coming off an injury like him.

(🎥: @receiverfactory) pic.twitter.com/lWz4JpLbPf

— Jacob (@JacobBarzilla) July 19, 2026

With such a drastic injury, there will always be concern as to whether Dell can return to his pre-injury form. Dell's career spans 25 games with 98 receptions (3.9 per game) and 1,376 yards (55 per game). He has reached the end zone 10 times and did so in great chemistry with his quarterback, CJ Stroud.

Stroud has emphasized at times that Dell is among the elite wide receivers in the NFL. While surely a biased opinion, the confidence in his wide receiver means a great deal.

Dell's ceiling is likely limited because Collins is among the NFL's elite wide receivers. He also must compete with Higgins, who won't be going anywhere, especially far down the depth chart, if at all. Nonetheless, he is a quality Flex/top-of-bench roster option. Dell must be drafted. His current ADP is WR76.