NRL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2025
Last updated: Jun 25, 2025, 4:23PM | Published: Jun 25, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sunday Round 17 DFS contest kicks off at 2:00pm AEST on June 29, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy 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 17.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Sunday slate includes the following match-ups:
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Beau Fermor (GOL, FLEX/FWD) | $15,900 | 59.4 | 3.7 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO, FLEX/OB) | $8,150 | 38.3 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL, FLEX/FWD) | $11,070 | 16.8 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Zac Laybutt (NQL, OB/FLEX) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
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 highlight 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 (NQL) | $12,450 | 52.7 | 4.2 |
| Value | Siosifa Talakai (CRO) | $8,150 | 38.3 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Sualauvi Faalogo (MEL) | $10,920 | 27.8 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Zac Laybutt (NQL) | $8,000 | 36.5 | 4.6 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahrome Hughes (MEL) | $16,280 | 56.5 | 3.5 |
| Value | Tom Weaver (GOL) | $9,680 | 40.6 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Blayke Brailey (CRO) | $17,050 | 49.8 | 2.9 |
| Cheapie | Tyran Wishart (MEL) | $9,490 | 13.2 | 1.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Beau Fermor (GOL) | $15,900 | 59.4 | 3.7 |
| Value | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (GOL) | $14,090 | 57 | 4 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL) | $11,070 | 16.8 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Jordan McLean (NQL) | $9,120 | 33.4 | 3.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NRL Sunday Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like Siosifa Talakai. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Beau Fermor is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Zac Laybutt.
On the other hand, according to our model, Klese Haas 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 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 17 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 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.
