Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell is on the road to recovery after his promising rookie season ended with a broken fibula in Week 13.
While Dell still has a long way to go before he’ll be fully recovered, doctors are happy with his rehab over the past two months, according to Fox 26 Houston’s Will Kunkel (via CBS Sports). Dell reportedly started light pool work in January, just weeks after he had surgery on Dec. 4.
Dell suffered the injury in an early Week 13 rushing play at the goal line and left the game on the cart. He was quickly ruled out for the game with a lower leg injury before the fibula diagnosis came in. The Texans put him on season-ending injured reserve soon after.
Before his injury, Dell was putting on a show alongside fellow rookie C.J. Stroud. Dell caught 47 of 75 targets for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in the first 11 games of his career. He was also on a four-game streak with at least eight targets, 50 yards and one touchdown.
The Texans could have used Dell throughout the end of the season but fared well with the trio of Nico Collins, Noah Brown and Robert Woods. Collins will be back in 2024, but the futures of Brown and Woods remain unclear.
Dell will have more time to heal before this upcoming season, where he will almost assuredly return to being one of Stroud’s top targets. The Texans could also add a receiver in free agency or in the draft to complete their stable of pass-catchers.