NRL Storm vs Panthers Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 3, 2025
Mar 19, 2025, 8:22AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Storm vs Panthers Round 3 DFS contest starts at 8:00pm AEDT on March 20, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 3.
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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 players from each team in the Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers match-up to help you find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, HH/FLEX) | $25,280 | 78.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Stefano Utoikamanu (MEL, FLEX/FWD) | $10,440 | 45.2 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Tyran Wishart (MEL, FLEX/HH) | $11,020 | 15.2 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Jack Cole (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $9,930 | 42 | 4.2 |
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 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 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 | Brian To'o (PEN) | $14,020 | 43.7 | 3.1 |
| Value | Thomas Jenkins (PEN) | $8,000 | 30.1 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Ryan Papenhuyzen (MEL) | $15,930 | 42.9 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Izack Tago (PEN) | $8,820 | 32.4 | 3.7 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $25,280 | 78.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jack Cole (PEN) | $9,930 | 42 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Tyran Wishart (MEL) | $11,020 | 15.2 | 1.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaah Yeo (PEN) | $19,740 | 65.4 | 3.3 |
| Value | Stefano Utoikamanu (MEL) | $10,440 | 45.2 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Luke Garner (PEN) | $10,400 | 25.8 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Liam Henry (PEN) | $9,460 | 34.9 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Storm vs Panthers Round 3 teams, consider starting with a value player like Stefano Utoikamanu. 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 Jack Cole.
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 entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Storm vs Panthers slate closes at 8:00pm AEDT on Thursday. 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 Storm vs Panthers Round 3 contest. 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 Storm vs Panthers 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 Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers 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.
