NRL Panthers vs Cowboys Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 5, 2025
Apr 2, 2025, 8:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Panthers vs Cowboys Round 5 DFS contest commences at 6:00pm AEDT on April 4, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 5.
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 accurate 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've reviewed players from each team in the Penrith Panthers vs North Queensland Cowboys match-up to help you find the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, HH/FLEX) | $23,270 | 80.2 | 3.4 |
| Value | Luke Garner (PEN, FWD/FLEX) | $10,200 | 47 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Brad Schneider (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $11,000 | 9.5 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Izack Tago (PEN, OB/FLEX) | $8,490 | 35.8 | 4.2 |
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're 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 refer to 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 | Scott Drinkwater (NQL) | $16,470 | 47.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Daine Laurie (PEN) | $11,040 | 46.8 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Murray Taulagi (NQL) | $10,160 | 31.9 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Izack Tago (PEN) | $8,490 | 35.8 | 4.2 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $23,270 | 80.2 | 3.4 |
| Value | Mitch Kenny (PEN) | $10,880 | 39.3 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Brad Schneider (PEN) | $11,000 | 9.5 | 0.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaah Yeo (PEN) | $20,550 | 68.2 | 3.3 |
| Value | Luke Garner (PEN) | $10,200 | 47 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Harrison Edwards (NQL) | $11,510 | 24.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jason Taumalolo (NQL) | $9,880 | 30 | 3 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Panthers vs Cowboys Round 5 teams, consider starting with a value player like Luke Garner. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Izack Tago.
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 Panthers vs Cowboys slate closes at 6:00pm AEDT 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 Panthers vs Cowboys Round 5 slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NRL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NRL Panthers vs Cowboys line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Penrith Panthers vs North Queensland Cowboys prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
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.
