Who Should I Start? Cornell Powell or Tank Dell

Thursday, March 5, 8:11 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) missed all of the 2025 season as he works his way back from a torn ACL, MCL, LCL, and meniscus. Dell was the overall WR39 with seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2023, and he maintained similar volume with fewer scoring opportunities in 2024. His chance to make a third-year leap was squashed by the injury, and he'll face an uphill battle to take that jump in 2026. Not only could Dell's recovery push him through some adversity and growing pains when he returns to action, but he could also find himself lower down the pecking order. Jayden Higgins had a big rookie campaign in 2025, while Nico Collins continued to establish himself as a top-10 fantasy receiver. If Higgins is essentially the No. 2 receiver in Houston now, that pushes Dell down to No. 3, which will make it tough for him to produce in fantasy football, especially while operating in a C.J. Stroud-led offense. Managers should hold Dell for now. We've seen that the upside is enormous, but he's also quite risky due to his extended injury absence.