‘I know I have to step up, I know I have shoes to fill,’ Texans’ Tank Dell in spotlight after Stefon Diggs’ torn ACL

HOUSTON – The entire nation and the whole NFL is watching the Texans in the wake of Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs’ season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament.

One week before the Texans expect to get star wide receiver Nico Collins back from a pulled hamstring against the Detroit Lions, the defending AFC South champions will lean heavily on another explosive wide receiver with a proven track record for creating separation and being a dangerous deep threat.

Tank Dell will be the equivalent of WR1 against the New York Jets on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium in the Texans’ first game this season playing without both Diggs and Collins.

Although Dell has gotten off to a quiet start after an ultra-productive rookie season that was cut short by a broken fibula, his targets have also been reduced until now because of the emphasis on throwing to Collins and Diggs.

Now, Diggs gets an increased workload and an opportunity to show what he can do in an expanded role.

“I know I have to step up,” Dell said. “I’m not gonna make it seem like I don’t have to go out here and do what I need to do. I know I have some shoes to fill. I have to get back to doing what I was doing last year.”

Dell caught seven touchdowns as a rookie, breaking Owen Daniels franchise rookie touchdown catch record before being placed on injured reserve. After recovering from that injury, the former third-round draft pick from the University of Houston suffered a gunshot wound as an innocent bystander in a mass shooting at a party in his home state of Florida. He made another full recovery, but he’s off to a slow start to his second NFL season.

Dell has 24 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns through eight games, averaging 9.5 yards per catch with a long reception of 23 yards.

Dell is capable of doing more and a lot of people close to Dell are confident he will step to the forefront.

“In my mind, he’s ready and he’s been ready,” said Delfonte Diamond, a private receivers coach who has worked extensively with Dell for years and also coaches Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and several other elite wide receivers. “I consider all by boys WR1. Tank has always shown he’s capable. He doesn’t allow the pressure to discourage him scare him. He always rises to the occasion.

“He’s ready. He showcased that last year. I believe Thursday night is going to be a show for the Houston Texans. It’s not a lack of production for Tank. It’s just that bringing in a veteran guy like Stefon and having Nico Collins, those simple facts. The system he’s in, they know how to utilize all their weapons and I firmly believe Tank, No. 3, is going to get the ball.”

Without Diggs and Collins, the Texans’ top wide receivers are Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, Robert Woods and John Metchie III.

Dell caught four passes for 35 yards on four targets, including a touchdown, in a win Sunday against the Buffalo Bills as he bounced back from a zero-catch game against the Green Bay Packers. Tight end Dalton Schultz caught four passes for 52 yards on six targets. Running back Joe Mixon had four catches for 32 yards. Metchie had three catches for 29 yards, Woods had two catches for 18 yards and Hutchinson had a diving 19-yard reception.

“He’s a pro, he’s been a sponge learning from the vets and adding to his game,” said elite NFL and NBA trainer Justin Allen, who regularly pushes Dell to his limit in the gym and on the field. “He’s continuously working his craft to be better. When No. 3 is called, he can deliver.”

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The Texans are 6-2 and still legitimately haven’t played their best football yet.

As a rookie, Dell was on pace for 1,205 yards before he broke his leg. He was averaging 70 receiving yards. He’s now up to two touchdown passes.

Against the Jets, including Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner, Dell is expected to be heavily involved.

Gardner and Dell competed against each other in college when the standout corner was playing for the University of Cincinnati. Dell caught nine passes and had one touchdown in their matchup.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Dell said. “It’s always some battles in college, but everybody improves. I haven’t seen him in two years, but I know he improved and that he’s one of the best in the league. Hey, him and D.J. Reed are some great cornerbacks. I’m ready for anybody. I’m ready to try to make some plays. It’s going to be fun.”

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans anticipates it being a collective effort to replace Diggs’ production.

“We have to pick up the slack,” Ryans said. “A lot of guys have to step up and pick up the slack. We like the guys we have, and our guys that have been here, they’ve been working. They understand how we do things, what we do. Excited to see who steps up next.”

Hutchinson is starting after his acrobatic catch against the Colts.

“X is clutch,” Allen said. “He’s prepared for the opportunity. I look forward to him taking full advantage.”

Texans Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud expressed confidence in Metchie and Hutchinson’s ability to contribute.

“I believe he’s playing really good ball,” Stroud said of Metchie. “He made some big plays last game and is somebody who I just think needs his opps and he’ll be able to do a lot. And I’ve been able to spend a bunch of time with him. One of my best friends on the team, as you guys know.

“And Hutch is the same way. Hutch is somebody who I came in with. I’ve been throwing routes on air with him for two years straight now. And I think our connection, you could see it last week, grow. And it’ll continue to do better, so I’m excited to see those boys get the opportunities.”

Dell is inspired to carry the torch and pick up for Diggs, his fallen teammate.

“I know the conversation that me and him had about what we wanted to achieve for ourselves and for the team,” Dell said. “For him to go out like that, I had went out like that last year. I know how it feels to go out and want something so bad and get it taken from me.

“He wants us to win it all. We all harp on we want to win it all ourselves. We’re gonna do it for him. That’s our brother, no shadiness. That’s our brother, that’s my guy. And he knows we’re ready to go out there and rock out for him. And if the worlds were switched, I know he’d be ready to do it for each and every one of us.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com