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    • Stats, real name and more on Texans wide receiver
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    Stats, real name and more on Texans wide receiver

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    The Houston Texans have lost both of their top two wide receivers for extended periods in recent weeks. Heading into a “Thursday Night Football” clash with the New York Jets, the Texans’ passing attack will likely lean on second-year wideout Tank Dell.

    Top Houston receiver Nico Collins injured his hamstring during a Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills. After initial reports that Collins was “day to day” before Week 6, he was placed on injured reserve later that week, keeping him off the Texans’ roster until Week 10 at the earliest.

    During the Texans’ Week 8 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Stefon Diggs suffered a non-contact knee injury three weeks later. After several days of evaluations, the team determined that the other top target had torn his ACL and would be out for the rest of the season.

    As of Wednesday, Dell is the top receiver on the Texans’ official depth chart for Thursday night’s game. He’s also the third-most productive receiver in Houston this year in terms of receptions and yardage, behind only Collins and Diggs. He and tight end Dalton Schultz will likely be the top two pass-catching options for quarterback C.J. Stroud in Week 9.

    Here’s what you need to know about Dell:

    TEXAN DEPTH MAP: WR options after injuries to Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins

    Tank Dell Stats

    Dell has played seven games this season after missing the Texans’ Week 4 game with a pectoral injury.

    In those seven games, the University of Houston product has caught 24 of his 38 targets for 229 yards and two touchdowns. All of these numbers rank third (or ranked third) among all Texans pass catchers this season.

    Since entering the league last year, Dell has played 18 games and started 12. After breaking his fibula, he missed the final five games of the 2023 season.

    In his career, Dell caught 71 of his 113 targets for 938 yards and nine touchdowns. He also has 17 rush attempts for 81 yards.

    During his senior year of college at Houston, Dell led the nation with 1,398 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns. His 109 receptions ranked second behind Purdue’s Charlie Jones (110).

    STEFON DIGGS INJURY UPDATE: Texans receiver out for season with torn ACL

    Tank Dell’s real name

    Dell’s real first name is Nathaniel.

    In an interview with “The Pivot Podcast,” the Texas wide receiver revealed how he got his nickname “Tank.” Host Ryan Clark asked him how he got the nickname despite his smaller stature. Dell is listed at 5 feet 9 inches and 165 pounds.

    “I had a big head. That’s it. My mom said I had a tank head when I was younger, so she started calling me that, probably when I was only a year old,” he said. “Then my friends came over, they started hearing ‘Tank come here, Tank come here,’ and then they picked it up. After that, this is my name now.

    ‘I’m about to change it legally. Nathaniel, I hate it. I hate it. Do I look like Nathaniel?’

    Dell also said that he has been called “Tank” since his first days in elementary school.

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    Tank Dell injuries

    Dell suffered a broken fibula in a Week 13 game against the Denver Broncos last year and missed the rest of the season.

    This offseason, the Texans receiver suffered minor injuries from a shooting in Florida. He went to hospital for treatment but was released the next day.

    “When it first happened, I went through it because I felt like there was a lot of weight on my shoulders due to my (leg) injury,” Dell told The Pivot Podcast. “I just felt like things were happening one after the other. I couldn’t shake it, so mentally I was a little confused.”

    The Texans’ second-year receiver also missed his team’s Week 4 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a pectoral injury, but returned the following week.

    NICO COLLINS: When will the Texans WR return? Latest injury updates

    Tank Dell’s unique connection with CJ Stroud

    Dell’s connection to his quarterback dates back to their time together at the 2023 NFL scouting combine, before either player was drafted.

    Stroud threw to his future Texans partner at the combine and enjoyed their chemistry while showing off for scouts. Dell said the 2023 No. 2 overall pick told him after the combine that he liked the way Dell ran routes and played football.

    When Stroud became Houston’s top pick in last year’s draft, Dell congratulated him before texting the quarterback: “Tell them to come get me.” Stroud replied, “I got you. Believe me.’

    Ahead of Day 2 of the draft, the former Houston Cougar said he received a FaceTime call from the quarterback saying he had told the Texans’ front office he would like to play with Dell. Later that day, Houston drafted him with their third-round pick.

    Despite playing in just 11 games last year, Dell was second on the Texans in his seven receiving touchdowns when he and Stroud were both rookies. Now he’ll be one of Stroud’s top targets heading into a Thursday Night Football game with the Jets.

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