NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 9, 2026, 2:36PM | Published: Sep 9, 2026, 2:36PM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Finals Week 1, 2026 DFS contest begins at 4:05pm AEST on September 12, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate includes these matches:
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 most accurate 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicho Hynes (CRO, HH/FLEX) | $20,540 | 65.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Bradley Schneider (DOL, HH/FLEX) | $11,970 | 5.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Alofiana Khan-Pereira (WAR, FLEX/OB) | $8,000 | 31.2 | 3.9 |
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'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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Herbie Farnworth (DOL) | $17,750 | 61 | 3.4 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Jaxon Purdue (NQL) | $13,590 | 34.5 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Alofiana Khan-Pereira (WAR) | $8,000 | 31.2 | 3.9 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicho Hynes (CRO) | $20,540 | 65.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Blayke Brailey (CRO) | $14,980 | 55.4 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Bradley Schneider (DOL) | $11,970 | 5.3 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Sam Healey (WAR) | $8,000 | 20.4 | 2.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (DOL) | $15,950 | 57 | 3.6 |
| Value | Coen Hess (NQL) | $9,000 | 34.9 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (WAR) | $10,140 | 10.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Griffin Neame (NQL) | $8,000 | 29.9 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Saturday Finals Week 1, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Riley Jones. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nicho Hynes 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 Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bradley Schneider is one of the worst 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 Saturday slate closes at 4:05pm 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 Saturday Finals Week 1 contest. 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 Saturday 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.
