For the third straight season, the Houston Texans used a Day 2 draft pick on a wide receiver, with this year’s selection being Tank Dell. The former Houston Cougar is staying in the Lone Star State and has an intriguing opportunity ahead of him to elevate himself into a more impactful role in the receiving game. Is his upside worth the risk in starting him in Week 1 of the fantasy football season?
Fantasy Football analysis: Texans WR Tank Dell
Dell made an impression on the Texans early on with a few notable performances throughout the preseason. In their opening matchup with the New England Patriots, he caught five of his eight targets for 65 yards and a touchdown as his rapport with Davis Mills was on full display. He’ll look to carry that same synergy over to newly named starting quarterback CJ Stroud in Week 1.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
Sit. Despite there being a plausible scenario for Dell to jump ahead on the Texans WR depth chart, he’ll need to unseat Robert Woods, Nico Collins, John Metchie III, and Noah Brown. That’s an ample number of wideouts that could command targets, which means Dell will be a WR4 at best to start the season. Chances are he’ll have a low volume of targets and receptions to start out with, which means he’s not worth a start in PPR leagues, whether smaller or larger.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
Sit. Even in standard leagues, Dell is a risky bet to start in Week 1. Perhaps he’s worth saving on a roster, especially in larger leagues where the waiver wire could get thin as the season rolls along. However, fantasy managers should wait and see if, or when, Dell can unseat some of the other receivers ahead of him for a
Player(s) you would start ahead of Tank Dell
The better bet is to target receivers with established roles on their respective teams, while also presenting some upside for a larger role. DJ Chark or Zay Jones are two names that come to mind, as each has a track record of producing for their teams amid respective crowded receiving rooms. Ultimately, the pairing of a rookie receiver in Dell with a rookie quarterback in Stroud should have fantasy managers erring on the side of caution.