NRL $5,000+ Saturday Full Round Line-Up

The NRL action is certainly heating up, and Saturday presents a number of key clashes. But who should you pick in your Draftstars line-up?

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $5000+ Saturday competition

Front Row Forward

Ryan James ($17,300)

One of just three players to average more than 60 points a game in fantasy last season, James maintained his usual high workload in attack and defense, cut out the frequent errors and penalties, and had a record-breaking year as a try-scoring prop. James is all but certain to remain one of fantasy’s elite scorers this season.

Matt Prior ($10,000)

Prior started all of his games last season and those extra minutes helped his fantasy scoring. Unlike some players whose PPM diminished with increased minutes, Prior’s output is at least good if not better when he gets the added the responsibility of starting. The question is, will Flanagan keep Prior as starting prop at the start of the season? If he does then we have got a DPP player priced at a 43 average who should score at 60+ and it would be hard to go past him at that price. When playing more than 50 minutes Prior averaged 47.5; when he played less than 50 minutes he averaged 29. So if his big-minute performances continue he is a value pick.

Hooker

Jayden Brailey ($5,100)

Brailey is one of the best fantasy prospects going around. He was the Dally M Holden Cup player of the year in 2016 and looks to be a very well rounded hooker capable of adding to a side’s attack and defense. It would be a dream come true if he ended up the Sharks 80 minute hooker but it seems like a bit of a long shot. Still, Brailey has averaged over 55 in both the last two NYC seasons with Points Per Minute sitting at over 0.7. A long-shot, but must be taken.

Second Row Forward

Paul Gallen ($16,050)

Gallen has been a fantasy gun for years but has traditionally been a player you avoided picking up until after the Origin period, due to his tendency to be rested in the middle part of the season. With Gallen’s representative retirement, that is no longer a concern, and while he may be into the twilight period of his career he’s hardly slowing down with a league-high 175 run metres per game last season. With 30 tackles per game and the ability to break the defensive line he’s one of fantasy’s elite forwards. He had a quiet start but will be looking to make a big statement against Canberra here.

Sam Burgess ($15,600)

Last year, Burgess averaged a solid 52 fantasy points per game before Round 20 but increased that to an excellent 62 in the final seven rounds. If he can maintain those scores in the 60 – we have a gun forward at our hands. He remains to be one of the game’s most effective players, combining a rampaging running game and a knack for getting offloads away with a surprisingly high workrate in defense.

Centre

Dane Gagai ($10,750)

Last season, Dane Gagai made up almost a third of the Knights total tackle breaks between them and was a very willing ball carrier when needed. He plays a full 80 minutes and will be able to get points in the high 30s.

Half

Brock Lamb ($9,300)

With Jarrod Mullen suspended, Brock Lamb seems the most likely to slot into the line-up at five-eighth. Lamb had scores of 46, 37 and 30 in his starts last season and scored almost exclusively in base stats with just one try assist and one line break assist. Lamb has averaged around 50 in his National Youth Competition career, although that includes some goal kicking. Value pick.

Wing/Fullback

Jarryd Hayne ($6,900)

The former Parramatta star averaged 25 across five games for the Titans in 2016. In his previous NRL season with the Eels in 2014 he averaged a whopping 62.8 on the way to a Dally M medal. The marquee man should be a big mover this season if he can hit regular scores in the 40s. There has been a lot of off-field drama and this will spur him to have a good game here. So much value that cannot be passed up.

Gerard Beale ($8,200)

Beale played four games at the start of the year from the interchange and averaged just 16. From Round 9 he was restored to centre and averaged 30.25 which was a little above his career average at centre. Here he will be playing the custodian role and will look to get his fantasy points up. Look for a bounce back moment here for the Kiwi International

The Line Up

FR-F: Ryan James ($17,300)

FR-F: Matt Prior ($10,000)

HOOK: Jayden Brailey ($5,100)

2R-F: Paul Gallen ($16,050)

2R-F: Sam Burgess ($15,600)

C: Dane Gagai ($10,750)

HALF: Brock Lamb ($9,300)

W/FB: Jarryd Hayne ($6,900)

W/FB: Gerard Beale ($8,200)

Salary Remaining: $800