NRL Raiders vs Knights Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2026
Last updated: Aug 9, 2026, 3:23AM | Published: Aug 5, 2026, 10:12AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Raiders vs Knights Round 23 DFS contest commences at 2:00pm AEST on August 9, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 23.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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 Canberra Raiders vs Newcastle Knights match-up to help you find the best choices on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corey Horsburgh (CAN, FLEX/FWD) | $16,140 | 56.5 | 3.5 |
| Value | Harrison Graham (NEW, HH/FLEX) | $9,110 | 43.7 | 4.8 |
| Fade | Matty Nicholson (CAN, FWD/FLEX) | $11,420 | 4.9 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Cody Hopwood (NEW, FWD/FLEX) | $8,510 | 38.9 | 4.6 |
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 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) | $17,110 | 51.5 | 3 |
| Value | Dominic Young (NEW) | $10,950 | 42.6 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Matthew Timoko (CAN) | $14,410 | 42.5 | 3 |
| Cheapie | Fletcher Hunt (NEW) | $8,000 | 30 | 3.8 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ethan Sanders (CAN) | $17,110 | 54 | 3.2 |
| Value | Harrison Graham (NEW) | $9,110 | 43.7 | 4.8 |
| Fade | Owen Pattie (CAN) | $12,660 | 29.4 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Tom Starling (CAN) | $8,050 | 23.9 | 3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Corey Horsburgh (CAN) | $16,140 | 56.5 | 3.5 |
| Value | Cody Hopwood (NEW) | $8,510 | 38.9 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Matty Nicholson (CAN) | $11,420 | 4.9 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Morgan Smithies (CAN) | $8,920 | 35.7 | 4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Raiders vs Knights Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Harrison Graham. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Corey Horsburgh 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 Cody Hopwood.
On the other hand, according to our model, Matty Nicholson 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 Raiders vs Knights slate closes at 2:00pm 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 Raiders vs Knights Round 23 contest. 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 Knights 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 Newcastle Knights 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.
