NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 24, 2026
Last updated: Aug 13, 2026, 9:40AM | Published: Aug 12, 2026, 9:39AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Round 24 DFS contest starts at 7:50pm AEST on August 13, 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 essential for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 24.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate includes these match-ups:
- Newcastle Knights vs Gold Coast Titans
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Dolphins
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
- [Wests Tigers vs St. George Illawarra Dragons](https://www.statsinsider.com.au/sport-hub/nrl/schedule/2024_24_wst_St. George Illawarra Dragons)
- Parramatta Eels vs North Queensland Cowboys
- Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters
- Brisbane Broncos vs New Zealand Warriors
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Canberra Raiders
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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 find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $25,560 | 74.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Corey Waddell (MAN, FWD/FLEX) | $8,010 | 40.7 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Daniel Atkinson (STG, HH/FLEX) | $16,150 | 4.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Morgan Smithies (CAN, FLEX/FWD) | $8,810 | 41 | 4.7 |
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 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 | Herbie Farnworth (DOL) | $19,100 | 61.3 | 3.2 |
| Value | Sunia Turuva (WST) | $8,000 | 35.3 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Taine Tuaupiki (WAR) | $11,620 | 4.8 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Murray Taulagi (NQL) | $9,250 | 40.6 | 4.4 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $25,560 | 74.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jack Cogger (PEN) | $8,530 | 39.4 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Daniel Atkinson (STG) | $16,150 | 4.5 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Sullivan (SOU) | $8,000 | 33.4 | 4.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Haumole Olakau'atu (MAN) | $21,710 | 67 | 3.1 |
| Value | Corey Waddell (MAN) | $8,010 | 40.7 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Josh Curran (BUL) | $11,210 | 17.4 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Morgan Smithies (CAN) | $8,810 | 41 | 4.7 |
Conclusion
In NRL DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Round 24 teams, consider starting with a value player like Corey Waddell. 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 Morgan Smithies.
On the other hand, according to our model, Daniel Atkinson is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together 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 24 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 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.
