NRL Sea Eagles vs Sharks Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2026
Last updated: Jul 24, 2026, 2:33PM | Published: Jul 22, 2026, 9:32AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sea Eagles vs Sharks Round 21 DFS contest begins at 4:05pm AEST on July 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 21.
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 have reviewed players from each team in the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks match-up to help you find the best choices on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Haumole Olakau'atu (MAN, FLEX/FWD) | $21,630 | 65.2 | 3 |
| Value | Briton Nikora (CRO, FWD/FLEX) | $10,230 | 43.1 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Billy Burns (CRO, FWD/FLEX) | $11,530 | 18.8 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Kobe Hetherington (MAN, FWD/FLEX) | $9,680 | 37.5 | 3.9 |
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 | Sione Katoa (CRO) | $13,200 | 43.7 | 3.3 |
| Value | Ronaldo Mulitalo (CRO) | $10,330 | 39.7 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jason Saab (MAN) | $10,430 | 25.9 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Josh Feledy (MAN) | $8,000 | 25.6 | 3.2 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicho Hynes (CRO) | $19,060 | 61.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Jake Simpkin (MAN) | $11,760 | 44.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Braydon Trindall (CRO) | $16,730 | 50.9 | 3 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Lenaz (MAN) | $8,000 | 12.9 | 1.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Haumole Olakau'atu (MAN) | $21,630 | 65.2 | 3 |
| Value | Briton Nikora (CRO) | $10,230 | 43.1 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Billy Burns (CRO) | $11,530 | 18.8 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Kobe Hetherington (MAN) | $9,680 | 37.5 | 3.9 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Sea Eagles vs Sharks Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Briton Nikora. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Haumole Olakau'atu is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Kobe Hetherington.
On the other hand, according to our model, Billy Burns is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Sea Eagles vs Sharks slate closes at 4:05pm 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 Sea Eagles vs Sharks Round 21 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 Sea Eagles vs Sharks 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 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 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.
