Hope arrives for Houston fans as explosive receiver Tank Dell nears return for the 2026 season, poised to reignite the offense and boost C.J. Stroud's performance.
The Houston Texans are coming off a disappointing end to the 2025 season, as the franchise was blown out by the New England Patriots in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Fans may be upset with how things ended, but the franchise is in the midst of its best stretch in history, having won a postseason game in each of the last three seasons. Things could also be looking up as Tank Dell will likely be returning for the 2026 season.
Dell has faced a ton of adversity in his career. The wide receiver attended three different colleges on his way to being the Texans' third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had an immaculate rookie season in 2023, hauling in 47 passes for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns. The young wideout has dealt with injury issues since then as he missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from a knee injury he suffered at the end of the 2024 campaign.
General Manager Nick Caserio spoke to the media on Wednesday, providing updates on many topics. He spoke about Dell, and the executive shared that the wide receiver should be ready to go for the team's offseason program.
This is great news, as it means Dell will return to the lineup for the 2026 season. This brings Houston back one of its offensive weapons, while also giving quarterback C.J. Stroud back one of his favorite targets.
Dell and Stroud have always had a good connection, as evidenced by each player's numbers when they are on the field together. Dell has played in just 25 games in his career and has amassed 1,300 receiving yards while scoring 10 touchdowns. It's almost as if he makes the game a little bit easier for Stroud, which is something fans in Houston would like to see after the quarterback regressed once again during the 2025 campaign.
Stroud has been trying to get back to playing the way he did during his rookie season, but the quarterback has taken steps backward in his second and third years in the league. Dell returning to the lineup might spark some confidence in the quarterback, which hopefully will allow him to play the way he did in 2023.
The wide receiver room is a little more crowded now than it was in 2023, but Dell will hopefully fit back into the offense seamlessly once he is fully recovered from his injury.