NRL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2026
Last updated: Jun 28, 2026, 3:28AM | Published: Jun 24, 2026, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Sunday Round 17 DFS contest kicks off at 2:00pm AEST on June 28, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 17.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Sunday slate features these games:
- Newcastle Knights vs Wests Tigers
- [Canberra Raiders vs St. George Illawarra Dragons](https://www.statsinsider.com.au/sport-hub/nrl/schedule/2024_17_can_St. George Illawarra Dragons)
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Terrell May (WST, FLEX/FWD) | $22,820 | 70.7 | 3.1 |
| Value | Greg Marzhew (NEW, OB/FLEX) | $11,040 | 48.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Sandon Smith (NEW, HH/FLEX) | $13,640 | 14.7 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Valentine Holmes (STG, FLEX/OB) | $9,010 | 38.8 | 4.3 |
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 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 | Kalyn Ponga (NEW) | $17,620 | 58.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Greg Marzhew (NEW) | $11,040 | 48.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Dane Gagai (NEW) | $13,350 | 42.8 | 3.2 |
| Cheapie | Valentine Holmes (STG) | $9,010 | 38.8 | 4.3 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Adam Doueihi (WST) | $18,490 | 68.1 | 3.7 |
| Value | Kyle Flanagan (STG) | $8,000 | 34.2 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Sandon Smith (NEW) | $13,640 | 14.7 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Owen Pattie (CAN) | $8,000 | 25.3 | 3.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Terrell May (WST) | $22,820 | 70.7 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jayden Brailey (CAN) | $8,000 | 31.3 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Luciano Leilua (STG) | $14,680 | 18.9 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | Tyson Frizell (NEW) | $9,830 | 34.7 | 3.5 |
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 Greg Marzhew. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Terrell May 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 Valentine Holmes.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sandon Smith 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 slate. 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.
