NRL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 1, 2026
Last updated: Feb 25, 2026, 9:24AM | Published: Feb 25, 2026, 8:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sunday Round 1 DFS contest begins at 1:15pm AEDT on March 1, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 improve your Supercoach team for Round 1.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Sunday slate includes these match-ups:
- Newcastle Knights vs North Queensland Cowboys
- [Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs St. George-Illawarra Dragons](https://www.statsinsider.com.au/sport-hub/nrl/schedule/2024_1_cby_St. George-Illawarra Dragons)
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the strongest 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob Preston (BUL, FWD/FLEX) | $18,360 | 61.9 | 3.4 |
| Value | Daniel Atkinson (DRA, FLEX/HH) | $8,780 | 41.3 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Lyhkan King-Togia (DRA, FLEX/HH) | $11,590 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Couchman (DRA, FWD/FLEX) | $8,000 | 31.7 | 4 |
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 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 | Scott Drinkwater (COW) | $15,030 | 53.4 | 3.6 |
| Value | Tom Chester (COW) | $8,540 | 31.8 | 3.7 |
| Fade | David Fale (DRA) | $12,340 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Marcelo Montoya (BUL) | $9,390 | 33.5 | 3.6 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tom Dearden (COW) | $17,450 | 53.8 | 3.1 |
| Value | Daniel Atkinson (DRA) | $8,780 | 41.3 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Lyhkan King-Togia (DRA) | $11,590 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Hayward (BUL) | $9,350 | 34.7 | 3.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jacob Preston (BUL) | $18,360 | 61.9 | 3.4 |
| Value | Trey Mooney (KNI) | $10,600 | 46 | 4.3 |
| Fade | John Bateman (COW) | $15,480 | 18.6 | 1.2 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Couchman (DRA) | $8,000 | 31.7 | 4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Sunday Round 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like Daniel Atkinson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jacob Preston 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 Ryan Couchman.
On the other hand, according to our model, Lyhkan King-Togia 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 Sunday slate closes at 1:15pm AEDT 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 Sunday 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 Sunday 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.
