RADIO
Tank Dell Worth an IR Stash in Deeper Fantasy Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is back on the practice field, but there is still too much uncertainty surrounding his role to consider him a priority waiver addition for Week 6. Houston opened his 21-day practice window on October 6, and Dell was limited Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out Friday's practice and being ruled out against Tennessee. He hasn't played since suffering a severe knee injury in December 2024, though his first two NFL seasons demonstrated his potential with 98 receptions for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns across 25 games. The receiving corps awaiting him looks considerably different, however, after Houston acquired Marvin Harrison Jr. from Arizona on Monday. Nico Collins remains a prominent part of the passing attack, while Jaylin Noel strengthened his case for additional opportunities by catching five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown against the Titans in Week 5. Dell's eventual workload remains difficult to project, especially after such a lengthy absence. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues with an available IR spot can justify stashing him while Houston determines when he's ready to return and how he fits into its crowded receiving rotation.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Marvin Harrison Jr. Traded to Texans in Blockbuster Deal
The Arizona Cardinals are trading wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for 2027 second- and sixth-round picks, according to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans also confirmed the deal following Sunday's win over Tennessee. Harrison, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will reunite with quarterback C.J. Stroud, his former Ohio State teammate. The 24-year-old has caught just five of 13 targets for 85 yards and one touchdown through four games this season after recording 41 receptions for 608 yards and four scores in 12 appearances last year. Houston offers an opportunity for Harrison to revive his fantasy value, particularly with Jayden Higgins (knee) sidelined for the season. Nico Collins remains the team's top receiver, however, and Jaylin Noel has been earning more opportunities in the passing game. Tank Dell (knee) also had his practice window opened last week, adding another variable to the receiving rotation. Houston's investment suggests Harrison will have a meaningful role, but his immediate target volume remains uncertain as he adjusts to a new offense.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Jayden Higgins an Appealing Dynasty Option Despite Injury
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) will miss all of the 2026 season with a torn ACL, but he should continue to be rostered in all dynasty leagues because of his anticipated role next year. Higgins still looks like the Texans' No. 2 receiver of the future (behind Nico Collins), given that none of the team's other pass-catchers have truly stepped up into standout roles this year. The closest effort came from Jaylin Noel, but he has just eight catches through four games and ranks as the WR63 in PPR leagues. Higgins was the WR47 as a rookie last year, and barring a substantial wide receiver signing or trade from Houston, he should pick up right where he left off once he's healthy in 2027. Therefore, Higgins is worth stashing in dynasty leagues, and he could even have some value as a trade target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Hutchinson Not a Strong Option in Reduced Role
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson was in a much smaller role in Week 4 with the return of Nico Collins after a hamstring injury. Hutchinson only played 17 snaps (31%) against the Cowboys after playing over 50% of snaps in each of the previous three games this season. Even with fewer plays on the field, though, he caught three passes for the fourth straight week. He ended up with 46 yards and finished second on the team with five targets despite his reduced playing time. With Kayshon Boutte struggling and Tank Dell (knee) still not ready to return, there is still a window for Hutchinson to seize the second receiver spot in Houston, but he'll need a big game against the Titans this week. Since his playing time was so significantly slashed last week, though, it's very hard to trust him this week, even in a favorable matchup against the Titans. Hutchinson is the WR80 in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 5, so he can be left on the bench or the waiver wire in almost all formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kayshon Boutte Only a Starting Option in Deep Leagues
Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte continues to settle into his new team's offense, but he has yet to make much of an impact since arriving in Houston. Boutte has totaled nine catches in four games for 115 yards and no touchdowns with the Texans, and last week, he caught three of his four targets for 36 yards. He did get more snaps than Xavier Hutchinson and Jared Wayne in Week 4, tying for the second-most snaps at receiver for the Texans, behind only Nico Collins in his return from injury. With Collins back as the focal point of the offense, perhaps Boutte can focus on his complementary role as a deep threat. He hasn't converted any big plays yet this year, and until he does, he's a hard option to trust for fantasy even in a favorable matchup like this week's against the Titans. In Week 5, Boutte is ranked as the No. 69 WR in RotoBaller's WR rankings, leaving him on the bench or the waiver wire in all but the deepest of formats in Week 5.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jaylin Noel a Deep-League Sleeper in Growing Role
Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel remained very involved in his team's offense last week despite the return of Nico Collins as the top receiver. Noel works mostly out of the slot, so his snaps were consistent despite Collins' return. He finished tied for second in most snaps among Houston's receivers and caught all three of his targets for a season-high 85 yards against the Cowboys last week. Noel outproduced Xavier Hutchinson and Kayshon Boutte despite fewer targets, and he seems to be building a solid connection with C.J. Stroud. This week, he gets a favorable matchup against the Titans' secondary, but Noel is still only the No. 62 WR in RotoBaller's Week 5 rankings. He's still a long-shot option this week, although he is building momentum in a growing role and can be started in deep leagues or in emergency situations.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Nico Collins Remains an Elite Option Against the Titans
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins returned from his hamstring injury last week against the Cowboys and showed he is still the best option in the team's passing game. Collins only played 69% of snaps in Week 4 against Dallas, but led the team with eight targets and caught seven of those passes for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Collins has been outstanding in each of the two games he has been available, and this week, he gets a great matchup against the Titans, who have struggled to cover top outside receivers this season. Collins is the No. 6 WR in RotoBaller's Week 5 rankings and can be started confidently in all formats since he is such a focal point of the team's offense and should be ready for even more work after his successful return last week.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tank Dell Won't Make Season Debut in Week 5
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is working hard to make his way back from a devastating left-knee injury that kept him out for the entire 2025 season, but he is not there yet and will not make his 2026 debut in Week 5 against the division-rival Tennessee Titans. The Texans' official website has listed Dell as out this week. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but he was held out of Friday's practice. The 26-year-old former third-rounder from Houston will have to do more in practice next week to have a chance to make his return from Injured Reserve on Sunday, Oct. 18, versus the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars on the road. Dell caught 98 of his 156 targets for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons, making him an intriguing WR stash in fantasy leagues, even if it might take him a bit to get up to speed after his long injury layoff. He becomes a bit more interesting since the Texans are looking for an explosive complement to WR1 Nico Collins. Dell is currently rostered in just 18% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: HoustonTexans.com
Source: HoustonTexans.com
Tank Dell in Pads, Getting Close to a Return
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) was seen practicing in pads on Thursday. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime writes that it "is huge" and "means he is very close." Dell was listed as limited on Wednesday in his return to practice, which opened his 21-day window to be officially activated from Injured Reserve. The 26-year-old suffered a devastating knee injury late in the 2024 campaign and was unable to play at all last year. The Texans brought him along slowly in training camp this summer and placed him on IR to begin the regular season. But now that he has missed the required four games, he could be on the cusp of rejoining a Texans' receiving corps that is hungry for reinforcements and playmakers behind Nico Collins after Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason. It would be a bit of a surprise if Dell is activated to make his season debut in Week 5 against the division-rival Tennessee Titans, but he is clearly getting closer and deserves stashing in most fantasy football leagues for his big-play ability. The former third-rounder from Houston caught 98 passes for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns (seven as a rookie) in his first two years in the NFL.
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Source: ESPN.com - DJ Bien-Aime
Texans Designate Tank Dell to Return From Injured Reserve
The Houston Texans officially designated wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) to return from Injured Reserve on Wednesday, and he is practicing, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Dell is still on IR, but his 21-day window to be activated is officially open. The 26-year-old technically could return to make his 2026 debut this weekend against the division-rival Tennessee Titans, but that probably will not happen. Dell missed all of the 2025 campaign for Houston due to a gruesome knee injury that was initially feared to be career-threatening. The former third-rounder from Houston caught 98 of his 156 targets for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first two seasons in the NFL with the Texans before his injury in 2024, making him an intriguing injured receiver to stash. The Texans could really use another wideout to step up alongside Nico Collins, and Dell could be that guy, even if he is not the same speedy wideout he was before his serious knee injury. Right now, Dell is only rostered in 16% of Yahoo leagues, so he is widely available for those looking for WR depth. UPDATE: Dell was limited in his first practice on Wednesday.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Jaylin Noel Could Earn Himself a Larger Role
Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel is coming off his best performance of the season in Week 4. Noel hauled in all three of his targets for 85 yards in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Noel was barely seen during the two games that fellow wideout Nico Collins missed, but he made a splash during Collins' return this past weekend. The 24-year-old appears to be building chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud. The two of them connected on a big 52-yard play this past Sunday. Noel has a chance to carve out a role as the No. 2 wideout in Houston. He's a decent dynasty stash and a possible deep league flex option for the Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Tank Dell Can Be a Great Depth Stash
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is expected to return to practice this week, as the team opens his three-week practice window to return from IR. The speedster made a big fantasy impact for Houston in both 2023 and 2024 before season-ending injuries cut short both seasons. His knee injury in 2024 was so catastrophic that he missed all of the 2025 season and is still finishing his recovery. In his absence, the Texans have rotated multiple receivers behind Nico Collins, but none has seized the full-time No. 2 receiver job. Dell could work his way back into that role if he shows he still has the big-play potential he displayed prior to his injury. He's a high-risk pickup since his return is still uncertain and he may be eased back in, but if you have the roster flexibility, Dell brings enough upside to be worth holding in deep leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Texans Expected to Open Tank Dell's Practice Window
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that the team expects to open the practice window for wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) to return from Injured Reserve this week, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Once the Texans open the practice window for Dell this week, they will have 21 days to officially activate him from IR so that he can make his 2026 season debut. It is great news that Dell is expected to resume practicing with the team this week, but it does not mean that he will be ready to play in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday. And when Dell eventually makes his season debut, the Texans will most likely ease him back into their offense after he suffered a catastrophic knee injury in 2024 that caused him to miss all of the 2025 season. But in a Texans offense that could use some help behind WR1 Nico Collins, Dell could eventually have a sizable role in the team's passing attack by the end of the 2026 campaign, making him stash-worthy right now in deeper leagues. The 26-year-old former third-rounder from Houston has 98 catches for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 games for the Texans in his two NFL seasons.
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
Nico Collins Crushes Expectations With Monster Game In Return
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins absolutely dominated in fantasy football in Week 4, catching seven of his eight targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The only negative of his day was that he wasn't targeted more, as he was extremely productive and efficient in a game that turned into a shootout. Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley is a major cap to Collins' ceiling -- his day could have been much bigger if the offense was force-feeding him the ball. But Caley ensures the ball is spread around to the likes of TE Dalton Schultz and WRs Xavier Hutchinson and Kayshon Boutte rather than hyper-targeting his most explosive playmakers. The results show in the final score, which was another loss for Houston. Their offense looked better than usual against a weak Cowboys defense. Collins was still absolutely dominant, and should continue to be so moving forward, but his production last week was unsustainable long-term on such a paltry amount of targets, considering Collins' talent and the game script. He's still a must-start fantasy WR1 for Week 5, when the Texans will take on the struggling Tennessee Titans.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Xavier Hutchinson Returns to Complementary Role
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson will remain involved in the team's passing game against the Cowboys in Week 4, although he could be in a smaller role with Nico Collins returning from a two-week absence. Hutchinson has three catches on at least six targets in each of the first three games of this season. He had a season-high 51 yards in Week 3 against the Colts and also had two rushes for four yards. Hutchinson will likely rotate with Kayshon Boutte across from Collins against Dallas, and even though his connection with C.J. Stroud is strong, his reduced role has him as the No. 81 WR in RotoBaller's Week 4 rankings. He can be left on the waiver wire or your bench in most formats until the Texans' offense gets going.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
