NRL Knights vs Raiders Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2025
Last updated: Jun 25, 2025, 4:23PM | Published: Jun 25, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Knights vs Raiders Round 17 DFS contest begins at 8:00pm AEST on June 27, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you make 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 and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 17.
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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 players from each team in the Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders match-up to help you find the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Fogarty (CAN, HH/FLEX) | $17,570 | 61.1 | 3.5 |
| Value | Simi Sasagi (CAN, FWD/FLEX) | $8,050 | 37.7 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Brodie Jones (NEW, FLEX/FWD) | $11,210 | 26.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Xavier Savage (CAN, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 30.3 | 3.8 |
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 are 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 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 | Bradman Best (NEW) | $15,340 | 50.9 | 3.3 |
| Value | Xavier Savage (CAN) | $8,000 | 30.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Dominic Young (NEW) | $11,830 | 33.7 | 2.9 |
| Cheapie | Kaeo Weekes (CAN) | $9,190 | 33 | 3.6 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Fogarty (CAN) | $17,570 | 61.1 | 3.5 |
| Value | Jayden Brailey (NEW) | $10,760 | 41.4 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Jack Cogger (NEW) | $13,690 | 42.3 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Owen Pattie (CAN) | $8,000 | 14.9 | 1.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dylan Lucas (NEW) | $18,810 | 60.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Simi Sasagi (CAN) | $8,050 | 37.7 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Brodie Jones (NEW) | $11,210 | 26.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Ata Mariota (CAN) | $8,400 | 27.7 | 3.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Knights vs Raiders Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like Simi Sasagi. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jamal Fogarty is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Xavier Savage.
On the other hand, according to our model, Brodie Jones 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 Knights vs Raiders slate closes at 8:00pm 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 Knights vs Raiders Round 17 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 Knights vs Raiders line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
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.
