NRL Dragons vs Sea Eagles Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 26, 2025
Last updated: Aug 30, 2025, 7:23AM | Published: Aug 27, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Dragons vs Sea Eagles Round 26 DFS contest starts at 5:30pm AEST on August 30, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 26.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles match-up to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Daly Cherry-Evans (MAN, HH/FLEX) | $17,550 | 55.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Corey Waddell (MAN, FLEX/FWD) | $9,610 | 41.6 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Ethan Bullemor (MAN, FLEX/FWD) | $13,330 | 37.3 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Christian Tuipulotu (STG, FLEX/OB) | $9,670 | 39.8 | 4.1 |
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 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 | Mathew Feagai (STG) | $14,130 | 46.8 | 3.3 |
| Value | Christian Tuipulotu (STG) | $9,670 | 39.8 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Tolutau Koula (MAN) | $15,750 | 44.6 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Tommy Talau (MAN) | $8,000 | 30.8 | 3.9 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Daly Cherry-Evans (MAN) | $17,550 | 55.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Jake Simpkin (MAN) | $13,650 | 53.2 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Damien Cook (STG) | $17,440 | 49 | 2.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jack De Belin (STG) | $13,500 | 49.9 | 3.7 |
| Value | Corey Waddell (MAN) | $9,610 | 41.6 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Ethan Bullemor (MAN) | $13,330 | 37.3 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Lodge (MAN) | $9,600 | 35.4 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Dragons vs Sea Eagles Round 26 teams, consider starting with a value player like Corey Waddell. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Daly Cherry-Evans 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 Christian Tuipulotu.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ethan Bullemor is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Dragons vs Sea Eagles 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 Dragons vs Sea Eagles Round 26 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 Dragons vs Sea Eagles 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 St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 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.
