Dell to be limited in practice for a few weeks

It will likely be a limited session for Dell, coming off a catastrophic 2024 knee injury that wiped out his entire 2025 campaign. Texans general manager Nick Caserio said in late July that Dell would be limited in practice for a few weeks as he works his way back from the career-threatening injury. Even if Dell avoids setbacks in the coming weeks, he’s a long shot to be anything more than Houston’s third or fourth pass-catching option to begin the season.

Dell notably was not placed on the active/PUP list today as the Texans reported, which means he’ll be dialed up right away in training camp. Wilson adds that Dell “continues to make major strides” and is “regaining explosiveness, cutting ability and strength.” Dell enters training camp as a sleeper, but he’s got a chance to have a real fantasy role this season with a big camp.

Dell sat out at practice on Tuesday, the first of three mandatory minicamp practices. He participated in non-contact team drills last week, though. Dell’s training camp participation and preseason usage should help us dial in his projections regarding his role for 2026. At this time, he offers a very low floor and his spot on the depth chart is a bit murky.

Although these are non-contract drills, this is still great to see. As of late May, Dell was still working off to the side of practice with trainers. The Texans will go on a short break after today, before returning for mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 9-11. Hopefully, Dell either maintains or increases his participation next week.

Earlier this month, NBC Sports Houston’s Aaron Wilson reported that Dell is “doing well,” and has been running and cutting, but is not yet 100 percent healthy. Today, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans refrained from updating Dell’s expected recovery timeline, saying, “when that time is set for him to be back, he’ll be back.”

Wilson adds that Dell has made “a lot of progress” and is “doing well in the Texans’ offseason conditioning program.” Dell missed the 2025 season after tearing three ligaments while dislocating his knee in Week 16, 2024. Roughly one month ago, Texans general manager Nick Caserio said the team hopes to have a better idea of Dell’s 2026 availability as they get through the spring. It sounds like Dell’s participation in the conditioning program and organized team activities, will be used to measure Dell’s readiness. Expect more updates in the coming weeks. If Dell can play this season, he would likely have the inside track on WR3 duties over Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson.

Dell continues to rehab from a gruesome knee injury he suffered in Week 16 of the 2024 season. That injury caused him to miss all of 2025, and while there’s hope he will be ready for Week 1 this season, the Texans continue to take it “day to day,” per Caserio. Caserio added that Dell has been in the building more now that he’s able to do more on his knee, which is an optimistic sign, but he also noted that the team will be open to taking a receiver in this year’s draft if there’s a player they like available to them. Dell has a career receiving line of 98-1,376-10 in 25 games and has also served as their punt returner.

This is strictly Alexander’s opinion, but Alexander is a plugged-in reporter who should be plenty familiar with the situation. Dell suffered a brutal knee injury in Week 16 of the 2024 season and missed all of 2025 as a result. While head coach DeMeco Ryans has already expressed some doubt about whether or not Dell would be ready by OTAs, there’s still plenty of time for Dell to return in camp and be ready for Week 1. This situation will be one to monitor until Dell returns to the field, but he’ll be a year and a half removed from his injury/surgery by the time camp rolls around. Dell remains a strong buy-low in early best ball drafts, as his stock is likely to shoot up as rumors of his return grow louder.

Dell will be a fascinating fantasy football player and makes a nice late-round dart throw in best ball while his stock remains low. Missing OTAs could help that. On paper, he would seem to be the team’s second-most established wideout after Nico Collins. Health will be the question. Dell could be a quick riser as we get closer to the regular season pending how offseason reports go.

As expected, Dell missed the entirety of the 2025 season after suffering a catastrophic knee injury in the playoffs last year. Dell suffered a torn ACL, which required surgery. He also underwent procedures on his MCL and LCL. The Texans drafted a pair of rookies on Day Two last year, but neither truly broke out in 2025. Even with Nico Collins out for the Divisional Round, Houston leaned on Christian Kirk and Xavier Hutchinson in their final game of the year. Getting Dell back could meaningfully improve the team’s receiver rotation for 2026.