NFL Week 10

Salary cap sports is a strange economy. One minute you're building a juggernaut, the next you're staring at your Franchise Value wondering why your fantasy roster looks like a clearance rack. The real challenge isn't finding the stars—it's affording anybody after you've already paid for them.

So every week, managers go window-shopping for low-cost players who can put up real numbers instead of charity snaps. Most of the time, the bargain bin is filled with heartbreak and cardio specialists. But occasionally someone sneaks in with actual upside, real usage, and a price tag that lets you breathe.

This week's list isn't about hype or maybes—just four cheap options worth judging honestly: Colston Loveland, Kyle Monangai, DeMario Douglas, and Tory Horton. Some are smart pickups. One is possibly a trap. Let's sort them out.

Colston Loveland — TE, Chicago Bears

Cheap, productive, and most importantly: not allergic to red-zone targets

Tight ends are either impossible to afford or impossible to trust. There's no middle class. You're either paying mansion money for Travis Kelce, or you're starting someone who runs cardio for 60 minutes and calls it a day.

Loveland, however, might be the rare budget-friendly tight end who isn't a weekly gamble. Last week he didn't just show up—he kicked the door down, borrowed the WiFi, and ate all the snacks: 6 catches, 118 yards, 2 touchdowns, and caught the game-winning bomb that looked like the defensive backs had an early dinner reservation.

The Bears finally seem interested in using him like an actual receiving threat instead of a decorative sideline prop. That's big. Because Chicago's passing offense is basically a box of mystery chocolates—you never know where the flavor is coming from, but when it's Loveland, it tastes like fantasy points.

Should you buy him?

Yes.

He's cheap enough to fit alongside your high-priced RBs, and unlike most budget TEs, he has a real role, especially near the goal line. Even if he doesn't drop 268 points again, he's not a boom-or-bust lottery ticket. He's playable.

Verdict: Good cheap buy

Kyle Monangai — RB, Chicago Bears

The rookie with wheels, hands, and a temporary throne

Remember when he was a nobody? If you blinked, you missed his upgrade from irrelevant to 'Oh wow, he just ran for 176 yards and caught passes too.' Monangai filled in for D'Andre Swift like he was sick of being listed as 'depth chart filler' and wanted a real chance.

He's explosive, he catches the ball, and the Bears actually trust him. Those three things alone put him above half the league's backup running backs.

Now, here's the catch: Swift is returning soon.

And Swift is like that older cousin who steals the good controller during FIFA—when he's around, nobody else gets to touch the ball.

So what does that mean in Salary Cap Sports? He's still cheap. He might get one more week of good volume. He's talented enough to stay involved even when Swift returns. He's not a season-long savior… but you're not paying season-long prices.

If you need a budget RB to fit your cap after buying too many shiny names, Monangai is worth the gamble. But don't build a long-term relationship. This is a short-term situationship with upside.

Verdict: Buy if you need points now, not if you're planning for three weeks from now

DeMario Douglas — WR, New England Patriots

He can pop off… but he's also the NFL version of crushing disappointment

On paper, DeMario Douglas is everything you want in a cheap WR: fast, shifty, occasionally productive, and occasionally visible to the quarterback.

But here's the problem—being a Patriots wide receiver in 2025 is like being in a group project with four people who don't know the assignment. Douglas is used properly only when someone else gets hurt or gets benched.

Yes, he just gave us a 100-yard game with a touchdown. It was beautiful. It felt hopeful. It also felt strangely… accidental.

Why he scares me:

His role depends heavily on injuries around him. The Patriots offense can't decide if it wants to pass or take a three-hour nap. He plays almost exclusively in the slot, reducing big-play chances. The floor? Basically the basement. With the lights off. In winter.

If you desperately need a budget play, sure, throw him in a flex spot and pray. But if you want reliability, look elsewhere. His value spikes only when everything goes perfectly. And in New England, nothing goes perfectly.

Verdict: Pass unless you're willing to take a risk

Tory Horton — WR, Seattle Seahawks

Proof that backups can actually be useful—thanks, Cooper Kupp's hamstring

Horton was supposed to be just another name on the roster. A depth piece. A human decorative object in a helmet. Then Cooper Kupp hit the injury report and Seattle handed Horton a starter's share of snaps.

And suddenly? The man started scoring touchdowns like he was being paid per celebration.

He turned a 16.6% target share and 48 yards into 2 touchdowns and a legitimate fantasy introduction. And more importantly: he looked good doing it.

Seattle's passing attack isn't the Chiefs. It's not high volume. It's not flashy. But it is efficient, and Horton clearly has chemistry with Sam Darnold. If Kupp's hamstring keeps acting like it's 45 years old, Horton becomes a dirt-cheap WR with real touchdown potential.

At his price, he's the definition of value.

Verdict: Strong cheap pickup while Kupp is sidelined

Bottom Line

If you're trying to build a championship salary cap roster with $50M, you need risks that don't feel like self-sabotage. Loveland, Monangai, and Horton give you reasons to trust them. Douglas… maybe not.

Load up on the cheap guys who can actually score, not the ones who run routes so their cardio coach can be proud.