NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2024
Last updated: Jul 27, 2024, 4:22AM | Published: Jul 24, 2024, 9:22AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Round 21 DFS contest begins at 3:00pm AEST on July 27, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 21.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Brisbane Broncos vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
- North Queensland Cowboys vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Sydney Roosters vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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've 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 | James Tedesco (SYD, FLEX/OB) | $20,000 | 65.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Jeral Skelton (BUL, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 39.8 | 5 |
| Fade | Tommy Talau (MAN, OB/FLEX) | $10,630 | 23.8 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (NQL, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 38.7 | 4.8 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 | James Tedesco (SYD) | $20,000 | 65.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Jeral Skelton (BUL) | $8,000 | 39.8 | 5 |
| Fade | Tommy Talau (MAN) | $10,630 | 23.8 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Liam Ison (CRO) | $8,780 | 37.1 | 4.2 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Daly Cherry-Evans (MAN) | $19,280 | 60.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | Brandon Smith (SYD) | $9,750 | 38.8 | 4 |
| Fade | Luke Brooks (MAN) | $14,600 | 38.2 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Jake Simpkin (MAN) | $9,080 | 35.5 | 3.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI) | $19,230 | 65.1 | 3.4 |
| Value | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (NQL) | $8,000 | 38.7 | 4.8 |
| Fade | Reuben Cotter (NQL) | $18,690 | 50.7 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Hazelton (CRO) | $9,750 | 44.2 | 4.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Saturday Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jeral Skelton. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, James Tedesco is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tommy Talau is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate closes at 3:00pm 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 Round 21 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 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.
