NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 9, 2026, 4:37PM | Published: Sep 9, 2026, 2:35PM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Finals Week 1, 2026 DFS contest starts at 7:50pm AEST on September 11, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create 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.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate includes the following games:
- Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
- New Zealand Warriors vs Dolphins
- South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Newcastle Knights
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys
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 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 every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $22,310 | 75.6 | 3.4 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Fletcher Hunt (NEW, FLEX/OB) | $10,270 | 3.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Tyson Frizell (NEW, FLEX/FWD) | $9,650 | 38.2 | 4 |
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 | Latrell Mitchell (SOU) | $20,180 | 62.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Fletcher Hunt (NEW) | $10,270 | 3.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Luke Garner (PEN) | $9,200 | 36.3 | 3.9 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $22,310 | 75.6 | 3.4 |
| Value | Hugo Savala (SYD) | $10,640 | 42.1 | 4 |
| Fade | Bradley Schneider (DOL) | $11,970 | 5.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Jack Cole (PEN) | $9,410 | 33.9 | 3.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cameron Murray (SOU) | $20,100 | 59.3 | 3 |
| Value | Tyson Frizell (NEW) | $9,650 | 38.2 | 4 |
| Fade | Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (WAR) | $10,140 | 10.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Coen Hess (NQL) | $9,000 | 34.9 | 3.9 |
Conclusion
In NRL DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Finals Week 1, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Riley Jones. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nathan Cleary 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 Tyson Frizell.
On the other hand, according to our model, Fletcher Hunt is one of the worst 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 Full Round slate closes at 7:50pm AEST on Friday. 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 Finals Week 1 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 Full Round 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.
