NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2026
Last updated: Aug 6, 2026, 8:47PM | Published: Aug 5, 2026, 10:12AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Round 23 DFS contest begins at 3:00pm AEST on August 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build 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 and improve your Supercoach team for Round 23.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate features these games:
- Dolphins vs Brisbane Broncos
- South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Parramatta Eels
- Melbourne Storm vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI, FWD/FLEX) | $18,540 | 69.7 | 3.8 |
| Value | Thomas Duffy (BRI, FLEX/HH) | $9,360 | 41.2 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Bradley Schneider (DOL, FLEX/HH) | $12,060 | 5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Blake Wilson (MAN, FLEX/OB) | $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 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 | Herbie Farnworth (DOL) | $18,820 | 65.8 | 3.5 |
| Value | Blake Wilson (MAN) | $8,000 | 34.7 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Jason Saab (MAN) | $10,270 | 26.7 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Jack Wighton (SOU) | $8,000 | 32.9 | 4.1 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jamal Fogarty (MAN) | $17,230 | 58.4 | 3.4 |
| Value | Thomas Duffy (BRI) | $9,360 | 41.2 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Bradley Schneider (DOL) | $12,060 | 5 | 0.4 |
| Cheapie | Ezra Mam (BRI) | $8,670 | 33.3 | 3.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Payne Haas (BRI) | $18,540 | 69.7 | 3.8 |
| Value | Sam Tuivaiti (PAR) | $9,190 | 38.6 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Kelma Tuilagi (PAR) | $11,210 | 23.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Corey Waddell (MAN) | $9,710 | 40.5 | 4.2 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Saturday Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Thomas Duffy. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Payne Haas is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Blake Wilson.
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 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 23 slate. 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.
