NRL Panthers vs Knights Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Preliminary Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 27, 2026, 5:22AM | Published: Sep 23, 2026, 9:22AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Panthers vs Knights Preliminary Finals, 2026 DFS contest kicks off at 4:00pm AEST on September 27, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Penrith Panthers vs Newcastle Knights match-up to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fletcher Sharpe (NEW, HH/FLEX) | $16,140 | 52.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Sandon Smith (NEW, FLEX/HH) | $11,070 | 44.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Freddy Lussick (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $11,860 | 5.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Jack Cogger (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $9,430 | 35 | 3.7 |
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 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 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 | Kalyn Ponga (NEW) | $13,960 | 51 | 3.7 |
| Value | Kalyn Ponga (NEW) | $13,960 | 51 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Fletcher Hunt (NEW) | $10,310 | 5.6 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Luke Garner (PEN) | $9,230 | 8.5 | 0.9 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Fletcher Sharpe (NEW) | $16,140 | 52.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Sandon Smith (NEW) | $11,070 | 44.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Freddy Lussick (PEN) | $11,860 | 5.5 | 0.5 |
| Cheapie | Jack Cogger (PEN) | $9,430 | 35 | 3.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaah Yeo (PEN) | $14,810 | 49.8 | 3.4 |
| Value | Liam Henry (PEN) | $12,060 | 44.8 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Dylan Lucas (NEW) | $18,060 | 26.3 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Scott Sorensen (PEN) | $9,350 | 34.2 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Panthers vs Knights Preliminary Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Sandon Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Fletcher Sharpe 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 Jack Cogger.
On the other hand, according to our model, Freddy Lussick is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Panthers vs Knights slate closes at 4:00pm AEST on Sunday. 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 Panthers vs Knights Preliminary Finals 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 Panthers vs Knights 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.
