NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 1, 2026
Last updated: Mar 7, 2026, 6:23AM | Published: Mar 5, 2026, 2:39AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Round 1 DFS contest kicks off at 5:30pm AEDT on March 7, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy 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 and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 1.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate features 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 come up with 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hynes (CRO, HH/FLEX) | $18,340 | 60.1 | 3.3 |
| Value | Noah Martin (CAN, FLEX/FWD) | $9,210 | 39.7 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Daine Laurie (CAN, HH/FLEX) | $11,440 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Arama Hau (GOL, FLEX/FWD) | $8,760 | 33.4 | 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 | KL Iro (CRO) | $15,510 | 52.7 | 3.4 |
| Value | Keano Kini (GOL) | $10,830 | 40.2 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Tom Trbojevic (MAN) | $17,450 | 42.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Sebastian Kris (CAN) | $9,450 | 32.7 | 3.5 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicholas Hynes (CRO) | $18,340 | 60.1 | 3.3 |
| Value | Jake Simpkin (MAN) | $13,420 | 49.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Daine Laurie (CAN) | $11,440 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Joey Walsh (MAN) | $8,000 | 11.7 | 1.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Hudson Young (CAN) | $18,560 | 57.7 | 3.1 |
| Value | Noah Martin (CAN) | $9,210 | 39.7 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Zac Hosking (CAN) | $16,130 | 31 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Arama Hau (GOL) | $8,760 | 33.4 | 3.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Saturday Round 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like Noah Martin. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nicholas Hynes 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 Arama Hau.
On the other hand, according to our model, Daine Laurie 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 Saturday slate closes at 5:30pm AEDT 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 Round 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.
