NRL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 5, 2026
Last updated: Apr 2, 2026, 8:22AM | Published: Apr 1, 2026, 8:40AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Round 5 DFS contest commences at 8:00pm AEDT on April 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create 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 5.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Full Round slate features the following matches:
- Dolphins vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
- Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs New Zealand Warriors
- Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders
- [St. George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys](https://www.statsinsider.com.au/sport-hub/nrl/schedule/2024_5_St. George Illawarra Dragons_nql)
- South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
- Parramatta Eels vs Wests Tigers
- Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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'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 | Nathan Cleary (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $25,440 | 79.1 | 3.1 |
| Value | Keano Kini (GOL, FLEX/OB) | $9,050 | 44.3 | 4.9 |
| Fade | Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (WAR, FWD/FLEX) | $10,660 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Freddy Lussick (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $8,000 | 37.2 | 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 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 | Reece Walsh (BRI) | $21,330 | 68 | 3.2 |
| Value | Keano Kini (GOL) | $9,050 | 44.3 | 4.9 |
| Fade | Max Feagai (GOL) | $10,300 | 3 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Joash Papalii (PAR) | $8,000 | 36.1 | 4.5 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $25,440 | 79.1 | 3.1 |
| Value | Freddy Lussick (PEN) | $8,000 | 37.2 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Chanel Harris-Tavita (WAR) | $11,200 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Reed Mahoney (NQL) | $9,880 | 44.4 | 4.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI) | $22,160 | 69 | 3.1 |
| Value | Noah Martin (CAN) | $12,640 | 55.6 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (WAR) | $10,660 | 2.6 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Alec MacDonald (MEL) | $8,380 | 35.1 | 4.2 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Round 5 teams, consider starting with a value player like Keano Kini. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Freddy Lussick.
On the other hand, according to our model, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is one of the lowest 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 8:00pm AEDT 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 5 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.
