NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2024
Last updated: Sep 13, 2024, 9:24AM | Published: Sep 11, 2024, 9:24AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Finals Week 1 DFS contest begins at 7:50pm AEST on September 13, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate includes the following matches:
- Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
- North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights
- Melbourne Storm vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the best NRL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NRL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $23,030 | 70.1 | 3 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO, FWD/FLEX) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Brad Schneider (PEN, HH/FLEX) | $10,650 | 9.3 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Sandon Smith (SYD, FLEX/HH) | $8,000 | 35.9 | 4.5 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
OB (Outside Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kalyn Ponga (NEW) | $20,130 | 55.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jeral Skelton (BUL) | $9,080 | 39 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Tolutau Koula (MAN) | $11,410 | 29.5 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Jack Howarth (MEL) | $9,690 | 39.6 | 4.1 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $23,030 | 70.1 | 3 |
| Value | Sandon Smith (SYD) | $8,000 | 35.9 | 4.5 |
| Fade | Brad Schneider (PEN) | $10,650 | 9.3 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Mitch Kenny (PEN) | $8,650 | 36.3 | 4.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaah Yeo (PEN) | $19,800 | 65.7 | 3.3 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Max King (BUL) | $15,980 | 45.9 | 2.9 |
| Cheapie | Jack Williams (CRO) | $8,000 | 34.3 | 4.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Finals Week 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like Siosifa Talakai. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nathan Cleary is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Sandon Smith.
On the other hand, according to our model, Brad Schneider is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate closes at 7:50pm AEST on Friday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NRL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NRL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NRL Finals Week 1 contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NRL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NRL Full Round line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
