NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 26, 2025
Last updated: Aug 28, 2025, 3:22AM | Published: Aug 27, 2025, 9:22AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Round 26 DFS contest kicks off at 7:50pm AEST on August 28, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 26.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate includes these matches:
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Newcastle Knights
- New Zealand Warriors vs Parramatta Eels
- Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
- Melbourne Storm vs Sydney Roosters
- North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos
- Dolphins vs Gold Coast Titans
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers
- St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
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 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 picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI, FLEX/FWD) | $23,610 | 74.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Alec MacDonald (MEL, FWD/FLEX) | $8,000 | 40.7 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL, FLEX/FWD) | $11,650 | 20.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Billy Burns (CRO, FLEX/FWD) | $8,850 | 43.7 | 4.9 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Jacob Kiraz (BUL) | $13,870 | 53.7 | 3.9 |
| Value | Jamayne Isaako (DOL) | $9,010 | 42.5 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Paul Alamoti (PEN) | $15,450 | 33.6 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Marion Seve (MEL) | $8,000 | 34.2 | 4.3 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jayden Campbell (GOL) | $19,880 | 68.3 | 3.4 |
| Value | Bailey Hayward (BUL) | $11,240 | 47.5 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Jeremy Marshall-King (DOL) | $16,880 | 44.2 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Billy Walters (BRI) | $9,030 | 35.3 | 3.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI) | $23,610 | 74.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Alec MacDonald (MEL) | $8,000 | 40.7 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL) | $11,650 | 20.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Billy Burns (CRO) | $8,850 | 43.7 | 4.9 |
Conclusion
In NRL DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Round 26 teams, consider starting with a value player like Alec MacDonald. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Payne Haas is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Billy Burns.
On the other hand, according to our model, Klese Haas 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 26 contest. 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.
