Alright, let’s talk about this DJ Moore or Tank Dell situation. It’s something I wrestled with quite a bit, especially mid-season last year. Trying to figure out who to trust week-to-week, man, it was tough.
My Initial Thoughts
So, coming into the season, DJ Moore was the guy I had my eye on more. You know, established dude, got traded to the Bears, supposed to be the number one target. I figured, okay, new QB, might take time, but he’s got the talent. I actually drafted him in one league, felt pretty good about it.
Tank Dell? Honestly, barely on my radar. Rookie on the Texans? Sounded like a stash-and-see kinda guy at best. Didn’t really give him a second thought early on.
Watching Things Unfold
Then the games started. DJ Moore had some monster weeks, right? Like, league-winning type performances. When he and Fields clicked, it looked amazing. But then… crickets. Some weeks he’d just disappear. It drove me nuts. Was it the playcalling? Was Fields hurt? Was the coverage just locking him down? Hard to tell sometimes, just watching the games.
Meanwhile, over in Houston, Tank Dell started making noise. This rookie, man, he was electric. CJ Stroud looked his way constantly. Dell wasn’t just getting gadget plays either; he was running real routes, making tough catches. I started paying closer attention. I didn’t have him anywhere, but I was watching the Texans games just to see him and Stroud.
Here’s the thing that really got me thinking:
- Moore felt like his ceiling was massive, but his floor was basement-level low sometimes. Super unpredictable.
- Dell, before he got hurt, felt way more consistent. Stroud just seemed locked onto him, especially in the red zone. He passed the eye test for me, looked quicker than I expected.
Trying to Decide Week-to-Week
So, in the league where I had Moore, deciding whether to start him became a headache. If he had a great matchup, I felt like I had to play him because of the upside. But if it was a tough defense, I got really nervous because he could easily put up a dud.
I started looking at Dell on the waiver wire, thinking maybe I should grab him. Of course, by the time I seriously considered it, someone else usually snapped him up. Classic. I remember checking the box scores after games where I benched Moore and he went off, or started him and he did nothing, while Dell was putting up solid points elsewhere. Super frustrating process.
It wasn’t about fancy stats for me. It was watching how they played. Moore seemed like he needed things to go just right with the play call and Fields having time. Dell felt more like he could make something happen regardless, maybe because Stroud was just so good at finding him quickly.
Where I Landed (Sort Of)
After watching them both, dealing with the headache of Moore’s ups and downs, and seeing Dell’s connection with Stroud before the injury… it kinda shifted my perspective.
Going forward, it’s tough. Moore’s got proven talent, and maybe with Caleb Williams, things stabilize? Big maybe. Dell’s coming off a major injury, which always worries me, but that chemistry with Stroud was real. If Dell comes back healthy, I kinda lean towards the consistency he showed. It felt more bankable week-to-week than the rollercoaster with Moore.
So yeah, that was my journey with these two. Started leaning Moore, got confused and frustrated by the inconsistency, was really impressed by Dell’s rookie year until the injury, and now I’m cautiously optimistic about Dell if he’s healthy, maybe more than Moore depending on the Bears’ QB situation. It’s less about who is definitively ‘better’ and more about who I felt I could actually trust in my lineup based on what I saw play out. We’ll see how it goes next season, I guess.
