NRL Cowboys vs Raiders Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 27, 2026
Last updated: Sep 2, 2026, 1:26PM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:08AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Cowboys vs Raiders Round 27 DFS contest begins at 5:30pm AEST on September 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 and improve your Supercoach team for Round 27.
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 have reviewed players from each team in the North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders match-up to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tom Dearden (NQL, HH/FLEX) | $17,760 | 63.3 | 3.6 |
| Value | Coby Black (CAN, FLEX/HH) | $8,000 | 37.5 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Jaxon Purdue (NQL, OB/FLEX) | $14,050 | 35.9 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Morgan Smithies (CAN, FWD/FLEX) | $8,000 | 34.2 | 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 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 | Simi Sasagi (CAN) | $15,680 | 54.3 | 3.5 |
| Value | Robert Derby (NQL) | $8,000 | 33.4 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Jaxon Purdue (NQL) | $14,050 | 35.9 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Xavier Savage (CAN) | $8,000 | 27.6 | 3.4 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tom Dearden (NQL) | $17,760 | 63.3 | 3.6 |
| Value | Coby Black (CAN) | $8,000 | 37.5 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Reed Mahoney (NQL) | $11,750 | 40.8 | 3.5 |
| Cheapie | Soni Luke (NQL) | $8,000 | 21.9 | 2.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Heilum Luki (NQL) | $16,380 | 58.2 | 3.6 |
| Value | Morgan Smithies (CAN) | $8,000 | 34.2 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Ata Mariota (CAN) | $14,430 | 44.1 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Josh Papalii (CAN) | $8,000 | 34.1 | 4.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Cowboys vs Raiders Round 27 teams, consider starting with a value player like Coby Black. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Tom Dearden 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 Morgan Smithies.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jaxon Purdue is one of the lowest value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Cowboys vs Raiders slate closes at 5:30pm 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 Cowboys vs Raiders Round 27 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 Cowboys vs Raiders 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 North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders 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.
