Why Tank Dell has a legitimate shot at being the Houston Texans' number-one receiver

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell had himself a day at joint practices with the Miami Dolphins earlier today. Lining up against a formidable foe, the third-round pick out of the University of Houston made the most of his opportunities, catching multiple touchdown passes from fellow rookie signal caller C.J. Stroud. 

Previously at Toro Times, we speculated as to which receiver in a wide-open field would ultimately command the largest target share. Robert Woods has the most experience, Nico Collins has the size and speed to be a weekly matchup nightmare but it has been Tank Dell who provided that wow factor thus far for the Texans' offense. 

He was unquestionably the best wideout on the field in the Texans' preseason opener in Foxborough. The rookie left no crumbs out on the field, catching five of eight passes thrown his way for 65 yards and a touchdown, accounting for over a third of the team’s total receiving yards. 

For Dell, this dominance is nothing new. The 23-year-old was a machine at the collegiate level, coming off two consecutive seasons of over 1,300 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns according to Sports Reference. His 17 receiving touchdowns and 109 receptions last season marked career highs. 

While there should still be expectations of an adjustment period to the professional game, Dell has showcased his talent and potential on numerous occasions thus far. Today’s performance against the Dolphins was the icing on the cake. 

With the team’s next preseason contest three days away, all eyes will be on Dell as he looks to continue building momentum. If the good times keep on rolling for the young wideout, it would not come as a surprise if an immediate impact is in the books, even potentially emerging as the favorite target of whichever Houston Texans quarterback takes on the reigns.

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