NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2024
Last updated: Sep 14, 2024, 5:24AM | Published: Sep 11, 2024, 9:25AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Finals Week 1 DFS contest kicks off at 4:05pm AEST on September 14, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable 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.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate consists of these matches:
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL, FLEX/HH) | $21,010 | 64.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO, FWD/FLEX) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Tyran Wishart (MEL, FLEX/HH) | $10,440 | 16.2 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Jack Williams (CRO, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 34.3 | 4.3 |
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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Kalyn Ponga (NEW) | $20,130 | 55.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jack Howarth (MEL) | $9,690 | 39.6 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Dane Gagai (NEW) | $18,580 | 52.4 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Sione Katoa (CRO) | $9,020 | 36.1 | 4 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL) | $21,010 | 64.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jack Cogger (NEW) | $10,780 | 47.3 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Tyran Wishart (MEL) | $10,440 | 16.2 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Phoenix Crossland (NEW) | $8,000 | 31.4 | 3.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cameron McInnes (CRO) | $15,000 | 54.5 | 3.6 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Dylan Lucas (NEW) | $15,000 | 45.2 | 3 |
| Cheapie | Jack Williams (CRO) | $8,000 | 34.3 | 4.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Saturday Finals Week 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like Siosifa Talakai. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jahrome Hughes is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jack Williams.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tyran Wishart is one of the lowest 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 Saturday slate closes at 4:05pm AEST on Saturday. 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 Saturday Finals Week 1 slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your NRL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NRL Saturday 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.
