NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 12, 2026
Last updated: May 21, 2026, 9:23AM | Published: May 20, 2026, 9:31AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Round 12 DFS contest kicks off at 7:50pm AEST on May 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 12.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate includes the following matches:
- Canberra Raiders vs Dolphins
- North Queensland Cowboys vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Gold Coast Titans
- [St. George Illawarra Dragons vs New Zealand Warriors](https://www.statsinsider.com.au/sport-hub/nrl/schedule/2024_12_St. George Illawarra Dragons_war)
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Melbourne Storm
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL, FLEX/HH) | $18,450 | 64.7 | 3.5 |
| Value | Trai Fuller (DOL, FLEX/OB) | $11,050 | 55.3 | 5 |
| Fade | Lachlan Ilias (GOL, FLEX/HH) | $10,520 | 3.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jackson Shereb (MAN, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 39.1 | 4.9 |
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 | Trai Fuller (DOL) | $11,050 | 55.3 | 5 |
| Value | Trai Fuller (DOL) | $11,050 | 55.3 | 5 |
| Fade | Matthew Dufty (SOU) | $10,670 | 7.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Tevita Naufahu (DOL) | $9,050 | 38.1 | 4.2 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL) | $18,450 | 64.7 | 3.5 |
| Value | Keagan Russell-Smith (MEL) | $8,000 | 37.6 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Lachlan Ilias (GOL) | $10,520 | 3.4 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Liam Sutton (NQL) | $8,000 | 36.7 | 4.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Toby Couchman (STG) | $17,190 | 64.3 | 3.7 |
| Value | Jackson Shereb (MAN) | $8,000 | 39.1 | 4.9 |
| Fade | Joe Chan (MEL) | $11,150 | 6.4 | 0.6 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Lodge (NQL) | $8,000 | 35.9 | 4.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Round 12 teams, consider starting with a value player like Trai Fuller. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jahrome Hughes 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 Jackson Shereb.
On the other hand, according to our model, Lachlan Ilias is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate closes at 7:50pm AEST 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 Round 12 slate. 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 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.
