After being ravaged by injuries for the first month of the 2026 season, the ambulance has finally started to drop off more Houston Texans than pick up.
The team returned second-rounder Kayden McDonald form Injured Reserve this past Sunday against the Titans, along with designating wide receiver Tank Dell and offensive tackle Braden Smith as returnees to practice (not game ready at the time). This time around, Houston is activating Smith as a full-time option, as well as opening the practice window for linebacker Henry To'oTo'o, who's been recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in week one against the Buffalo Bills.
As far as Dell goes, general manager Nick Caserio sounded hopeful in his assessment of his return time during his appearance with 95.7 the Fan's Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast on this morning's edition of Payne & Pendergast.
The Houston Texans have multiple positive injury updates ahead of their week six matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, especially involving Tank Dell
“He’s trending, unless he has a setback, he’s trending in the right direction. Whether it’s this week or next week,” expressed Caserio, in regards to the impending return of their former 2023 third-rounder. Not many Texans fans thought that Dell would return immediately to play against the Titans after returning to practice the week prior. Now, it appears as though Dell would be in line to suit up either against the Jaguars or the New York Giants in week seven.
He would join a completely transformed wide receiving group, joining up with newcomers like Kayshon Boutte and the newly-acquired Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Arizona Cardinals. With Dell's inclusion, the room could look like some combination of:
- Nico Collins
- Kayshon Boutte
- Xavier Hutchinson
- Jaylin Noel
- Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Tank Dell
It's an interesting bunch to say the least, as Houston would benefit from multiple speedsters in Hutchinson, Noel and Dell, as well as several big-bodies downfield threats like Collins and Harrison Jr. Even still, Dell's immersion into the system would bring an electricity and top-end potential that arguably hasn't existed for the offense since his catastrophic knee injury two seasons ago.
With a much clearer timeline to make his return, fans and locl media can begin to fantasize about the kind of artillery that quarterback C.J. Stroud will have to pass to once the unit is fully formed. On paper, it would be the most dynamic set of pass catchers that Stroud has ever played with in Houston. With the former Ohio State Buckeye already being top-four in passing yards even without a fully healthy set of receivers, what more could they possibly produce in in a week or two?
Along with playing better football on both sides of the team, the Texans are also getting much healthier. It could be a scary sight for the rest of the AFC if and when everything comes together for this group.
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