NRL Sharks vs Cowboys Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2026
Last updated: Sep 12, 2026, 9:31AM | Published: Sep 9, 2026, 2:36PM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sharks vs Cowboys Finals Week 1, 2026 DFS contest starts at 7:50pm AEST on September 12, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys match-up to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nicho Hynes (CRO, FLEX/HH) | $20,540 | 65.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Niwhai Puru (CRO, FLEX/HH) | $13,850 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Coen Hess (NQL, FWD/FLEX) | $9,000 | 34.9 | 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 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 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) | $14,150 | 49.9 | 3.5 |
| Value | Riley Jones (CRO) | $8,000 | 34.9 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Jaxon Purdue (NQL) | $13,590 | 34.5 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | William Kennedy (CRO) | $9,660 | 35 | 3.6 |
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 | Niwhai Puru (CRO) | $13,850 | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Soni Luke (NQL) | $8,000 | 20.5 | 2.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Heilum Luki (NQL) | $16,010 | 54.7 | 3.4 |
| Value | John Bateman (NQL) | $10,150 | 43.9 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Jeremiah Nanai (NQL) | $12,360 | 25.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Coen Hess (NQL) | $9,000 | 34.9 | 3.9 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Sharks vs Cowboys 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 Coen Hess.
On the other hand, according to our model, Niwhai Puru is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Sharks vs Cowboys slate closes at 7:50pm 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 Sharks vs Cowboys Finals Week 1 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 Sharks vs Cowboys 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.
