Tank? Texans WR Dell is more of a jet fighter

Is the rookie wideout shaping up to be who Will Fuller V should have been?

When you hear the word “tank” you likely imagine a massive, unstoppable battle wagon with a massive gun and the ability to run over just about anything that gets in its way.

Houston Texans rookie wideout Nathaniel “Tank” Dell doesn’t really fit that description.

What he does fit is “blistering fast, highly maneuverable and extremely elusive.”

So, maybe instead of Tank Dell, his name should be “F22” Dell… or “The Flash”.

Second year wideout Nico Collins has come into his own this preseason. Newly signed veteran Robert Woods is likely getting the other starting wide receiver spot adjacent Collins. That leaves Dell, Noah Brown, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson as the main contenders for the WR 3-5 spots on the roster.

Taking Dell and planting him in the return man spot should nearly guarantee the lightning-quick receiver sticks on the roster.

In 2016 Will Fuller V ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Fuller was drafted by the Texans who never fully benefited from his speed and skill due to an inability to remain healthy.

In 2023 Dell ran a 4.49 40-yard dash. “Considerably” slower than Fuller. In fact, it’s downright pedestrian when you talk about straight line wide receiver speed.

Dell’s promise kicks in, however, with his quick, elusive, “football speed”. Not to mention, the rook seems far more durable than Fuller ever did.

Sure the Texans still have a long way to go to get back to AFC South championship form and then beyond. But Tank Dell will likely provide enough twists and turns along the way to keep the journey exciting.