NRL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 16, 2026
Last updated: Jun 20, 2026, 5:30AM | Published: Jun 17, 2026, 12:30AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sunday Round 16 DFS contest commences at 2:00pm AEST on June 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 16.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Sunday slate features these games:
- Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- New Zealand Warriors vs North Queensland Cowboys
- Melbourne Storm vs Canberra Raiders
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL, HH/FLEX) | $17,680 | 66 | 3.7 |
| Value | Will Warbrick (MEL, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 40.4 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Mawene Hiroti (CRO, OB/FLEX) | $10,800 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Brailey (CAN, FLEX/FWD) | $8,000 | 37.1 | 4.6 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 | Sualauvi Faalogo (MEL) | $14,580 | 53.7 | 3.7 |
| Value | Will Warbrick (MEL) | $8,000 | 40.4 | 5.1 |
| Fade | Mawene Hiroti (CRO) | $10,800 | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| Cheapie | Zac Laybutt (NQL) | $8,140 | 33.8 | 4.1 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL) | $17,680 | 66 | 3.7 |
| Value | Chanel Harris-Tavita (WAR) | $10,860 | 43.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Liam Sutton (NQL) | $13,290 | 3.9 | 0.3 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Berrell (CRO) | $8,000 | 32 | 4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jackson Ford (WAR) | $19,100 | 61.8 | 3.2 |
| Value | Jayden Brailey (CAN) | $8,000 | 37.1 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Billy Burns (CRO) | $11,940 | 21.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Lindsay Collins (SYD) | $8,460 | 31.7 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Sunday Round 16 teams, consider starting with a value player like Will Warbrick. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jahrome Hughes is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jayden Brailey.
On the other hand, according to our model, Mawene Hiroti is one of the lowest 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 Sunday slate closes at 2:00pm 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 Sunday Round 16 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 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.
