NRL Raiders vs Dragons Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 18, 2025
Last updated: Jul 3, 2025, 1:23PM | Published: Jul 2, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Raiders vs Dragons Round 18 DFS contest commences at 5:30pm AEST on July 5, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 18.
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 most reliable 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Canberra Raiders vs St. George Illawarra Dragons match-up to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Fogarty (CAN, FLEX/HH) | $17,780 | 62.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Raymond Faitala-Mariner (STG, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 40.5 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Trey Mooney (CAN, FLEX/FWD) | $13,240 | 26.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Simi Sasagi (CAN, FWD/FLEX) | $9,950 | 44.5 | 4.5 |
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 | Matthew Timoko (CAN) | $12,040 | 40.2 | 3.3 |
| Value | Xavier Savage (CAN) | $8,000 | 30.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Sebastian Kris (CAN) | $10,700 | 31.5 | 2.9 |
| Cheapie | Sione Finau (STG) | $8,000 | 27.7 | 3.5 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Fogarty (CAN) | $17,780 | 62.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Jamal Fogarty (CAN) | $17,780 | 62.2 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Kyle Flanagan (STG) | $16,130 | 37.8 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Owen Pattie (CAN) | $8,000 | 19 | 2.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joseph Tapine (CAN) | $16,650 | 56.2 | 3.4 |
| Value | Raymond Faitala-Mariner (STG) | $8,000 | 40.5 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Trey Mooney (CAN) | $13,240 | 26.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Simi Sasagi (CAN) | $9,950 | 44.5 | 4.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Raiders vs Dragons Round 18 teams, consider starting with a value player like Raymond Faitala-Mariner. 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, check out our cheapie options, including Simi Sasagi.
On the other hand, according to our model, Trey Mooney is one of the lowest value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Raiders vs Dragons slate closes at 5:30pm AEST 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 Raiders vs Dragons Round 18 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 Raiders vs Dragons 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 Canberra Raiders vs St. George Illawarra Dragons 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.
