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Houston Texans placed wide receiver Tank Dell on injured reserve before the season, making him ineligible to return until Week 5. He missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a dislocated knee and multiple ligament injuries against the Chiefs in December 2024.
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Dell is now sending encouraging signals. In recent times Dell told CBS sideline reporter Melanie Collins that he was feeling good and would be back soon.
“Yes, DeMeco Ryans told us he’s been in great spirits, putting in the work to make a tremendous comeback. He’s looking strong in the weight room, running crisp routes. I caught up with Tank on the field pregame who told me he’s feeling great and he will be out there soon,” Collins reported vis X.
The wide receiver’s return could change the look of C.J. Stroud’s offense. Dell has 98 catches for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns through his first two NFL seasons. His ability to separate and create explosive plays would give Stroud another proven option alongside Nico Collins.
Houston lost 20-6 to Cincinnati despite gaining 374 yards and has now gone 16 straight possessions without a touchdown. The Texans have already dealt with several important absences, including Collins in Week 2, while injuries have also affected the offensive line and defense.
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Texans Can Still Change Their Season Against Indianapolis
Houston travels to Indianapolis for a Week 3 AFC South matchup between two 0-2 teams. The game is scheduled for Sunday for 1 p.m. EDT kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium. They have already shown it can recover from a slow start. The Texans began 2025 at 0-3 but recovered to finish with 12 wins and reach the playoffs.
The defense has provided more encouragement than the offense. Houston currently ranks first in defensive success rate allowed at 34.2%, according to Next Gen Stats. Will Anderson Jr. also generated five pressures against Cincinnati, showing that the front can still create problems even when the overall team result goes against Houston.
The offense has to find its identity. The Texans were held without a touchdown against Cincinnati and struggled to run the ball, forcing Stroud into 55 pass attempts. DeMeco Ryans said Houston “got outplayed up front” and could not run effectively.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 11:37 AM.