Wide Receiver – Houston
5’10” 165 lbs
3rd Round – (69th overall) – Houston Texans
The best wide receiver in college football lasted all the way to the third round. Yes, he was drafted early in the third but was the 9th wide receiver selected in the draft at the time. Nathaniel “Tank” Dell led all of college football with 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns. Many wide receivers went ahead including Rashee Rice, who also played in the AAC.
The selection of Dell helps boost this needy wide receiver core to pair with rookie C.J. Stroud.
Dell was a flashy playmaker for the Houston Cougars as he plays much bigger than his size. I’m sure you have heard that plenty of times already about other players, but I mean it with this kid.
Not to mention, his elite acceleration off the line (1.49-second 10-yard split) to go along with being extremely elusive with the ball in his hands. With this in mind, he also has great deep ball tracking skills which will benefit him being paired up with Stroud.
Not only did Dell exceed in the passing game, but he also handled punt return duties his senior year as a return specialist averaging 17 yards per return. In his final home game. Dell ran back a 68-yard punt for a touchdown. Not only should he have a chance at being a depth piece at wide receiver, but he could make an immediate impact on special teams.
Luckily for Dell, he doesn’t have to travel far as he only has to go across town now to the Houston Texans facility.
Fantasy Football Outlook
According to the Houston Texans wide receiver depth chart, Dell has a good chance of moving up. In terms of veteran starters, Robert Woods and Nico Collins are the two most likely candidates, but beyond that, everything seems to be up for grabs. But when you take a quarterback with the second overall pick, you better put pieces around him.
During the first round of the NFL Draft, Dell called Stroud and congratulated him on becoming a Texan. Later on, rumors came out that Stroud went to the front office and had one demand. According to Sports Illustrated, he told them to go and get Dell. These two built a bond at the NFL Combine, so what’s that say about his future?
From a fantasy football perspective, he will be nothing more than a waiver wire addition. Could he have an instant pop with Stroud? We will find out more between now and the future.
Dynasty Outlook
As mentioned above, Stroud wanted Dell acquired by the Texans, and they did. Combining Stroud’s passing strengths with Dell’s abilities as a pass-catcher is like peanut butter and jelly. Dell is a WR5 on most dynasty fantasy football teams, and that’s not bad, particularly if you take a look at this Texans depth chart. We may not realize how quickly he could advance.
According to Superflex mocks, Dell is currently ranked 34th overall. While in 1QB, he moves up a little and is at pick 28. Considering what’s ahead of him, he can offer immense value and I am comfortable selecting him here. Overall, this is a nice landing spot for Dell from a long-term perspective.
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