NRL Panthers vs Roosters Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 13, 2026, 5:23AM | Published: Sep 9, 2026, 2:36PM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Panthers vs Roosters Finals Week 1, 2026 DFS contest starts at 4:05pm AEST on September 13, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game 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.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters match-up to help you find the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN, FLEX/HH) | $22,310 | 75.6 | 3.4 |
| Value | Egan Butcher (SYD, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 32.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Cody Ramsey (SYD, OB/FLEX) | $11,160 | 4.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Lindsay Collins (SYD, FLEX/FWD) | $8,500 | 32.3 | 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 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 | James Tedesco (SYD) | $13,200 | 46.6 | 3.5 |
| Value | James Tedesco (SYD) | $13,200 | 46.6 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Cody Ramsey (SYD) | $11,160 | 4.6 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Tupou (SYD) | $9,570 | 29.2 | 3.1 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nathan Cleary (PEN) | $22,310 | 75.6 | 3.4 |
| Value | Hugo Savala (SYD) | $10,640 | 42.1 | 4 |
| Fade | Freddy Lussick (PEN) | $11,820 | 17.3 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Jack Cole (PEN) | $9,410 | 33.9 | 3.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaiah Papali'i (PEN) | $15,780 | 54.1 | 3.4 |
| Value | Egan Butcher (SYD) | $8,000 | 32.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Salesi Foketi (SYD) | $16,970 | 36.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Lindsay Collins (SYD) | $8,500 | 32.3 | 3.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Panthers vs Roosters Finals Week 1, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Egan Butcher. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Lindsay Collins.
On the other hand, according to our model, Cody Ramsey 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 Panthers vs Roosters slate closes at 4:05pm 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 Roosters Finals Week 1 slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NRL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NRL Panthers vs Roosters 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.
