NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 11, 2025
Last updated: May 17, 2025, 4:23AM | Published: May 14, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Round 11 DFS contest begins at 3:00pm AEST on May 17, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 11.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate features the following games:
- North Queensland Cowboys vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
- Dolphins vs New Zealand Warriors
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Melbourne Storm
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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 every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Herbie Farnworth (DOL, FLEX/OB) | $18,780 | 61 | 3.2 |
| Value | Zac Laybutt (NQL, FLEX/OB) | $8,000 | 35.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Jake Simpkin (MAN, HH/FLEX) | $13,730 | 32.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (WAR, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 34.7 | 4.3 |
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 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) | $18,780 | 61 | 3.2 |
| Value | Zac Laybutt (NQL) | $8,000 | 35.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Ryan Papenhuyzen (MEL) | $18,080 | 48.6 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (WAR) | $8,000 | 34.7 | 4.3 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Daly Cherry-Evans (MAN) | $18,530 | 58.7 | 3.2 |
| Value | Kurt Donoghoe (DOL) | $9,880 | 39.3 | 4 |
| Fade | Jake Simpkin (MAN) | $13,730 | 32.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Tyran Wishart (MEL) | $8,000 | 22.5 | 2.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Erin Clark (WAR) | $18,730 | 57 | 3 |
| Value | Jake Trbojevic (MAN) | $10,050 | 39.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Connelly Lemuelu (DOL) | $11,200 | 28.5 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Felise Kaufusi (DOL) | $8,660 | 33.7 | 3.9 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Saturday Round 11 teams, consider starting with a value player like Zac Laybutt. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Herbie Farnworth 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 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jake Simpkin 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 Saturday slate closes at 3:00pm 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 Round 11 contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge 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.
