NRL Knights vs Warriors Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 3, 2026
Last updated: Mar 21, 2026, 3:23AM | Published: Mar 18, 2026, 8:25AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Knights vs Warriors Round 3 DFS contest commences at 3:00pm AEDT on March 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 3.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the strongest 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 players from each team in the Newcastle Knights vs New Zealand Warriors match-up to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dylan Lucas (NEW, FWD/FLEX) | $18,500 | 62.3 | 3.4 |
| Value | Luke Hanson (WAR, FLEX/HH) | $8,000 | 35.4 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Mitchell Barnett (WAR, FWD/FLEX) | $14,370 | 14 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Tyson Gamble (NEW, HH/FLEX) | $9,550 | 39.9 | 4.2 |
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 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 | Bradman Best (NEW) | $13,470 | 49.2 | 3.7 |
| Value | Taine Tuaupiki (WAR) | $10,520 | 42.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (WAR) | $13,460 | 45.8 | 3.4 |
| Cheapie | Fletcher Hunt (NEW) | $8,840 | 32.8 | 3.7 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tanah Boyd (WAR) | $16,210 | 55.9 | 3.5 |
| Value | Luke Hanson (WAR) | $8,000 | 35.4 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Phoenix Crossland (NEW) | $13,930 | 43.8 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Tyson Gamble (NEW) | $9,550 | 39.9 | 4.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dylan Lucas (NEW) | $18,500 | 62.3 | 3.4 |
| Value | Trey Mooney (NEW) | $11,540 | 49.7 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Mitchell Barnett (WAR) | $14,370 | 14 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Laban (WAR) | $9,120 | 36.7 | 4 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Knights vs Warriors Round 3 teams, consider starting with a value player like Luke Hanson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Dylan Lucas is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Tyson Gamble.
On the other hand, according to our model, Mitchell Barnett 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 Knights vs Warriors slate closes at 3:00pm AEDT on Saturday. 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 Warriors Round 3 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 Knights vs Warriors 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 New Zealand Warriors 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.
