Friday Night NRL has two bangers to open the season, with three of the four Premiership favourites kicking off their seasons. First up, the Roosters head across the ditch to take on the Warriors with a new look halves pairing, as Daly Cherry-Evans plays his first game for the tri-colours. Then, the two Premiership favourites collide, as the Panthers head to Brisbane to take on the Broncos in a massive Round 1 matchup. Two huge games of football to kick off your weekend then, and we have you covered with our best daily fantasy tips!
Draftstars have several contests on offer for Friday night, including single-match contests, and combined matchups. These include:
- NRL $6,000 – Warriors v Roosters
- NRL $10,000 – Broncos v Panthers
- NRL $3,000 – Friday Night doubleheader
There are plenty of other contests that will tickle your fancy, so get involved and make the greatest game of all even more exciting.
NRL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 1 Friday
NRL Friday Round 1: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Jacob Laban ($8,600) looms as one of the most intriguing cheap options on the slate if he holds his place in the starting side for the Warriors. The young forward has been named on the edge, which slightly changes his fantasy profile compared to a middle role. While edge forwards often see slightly fewer tackles than middle forwards, the attacking upside increases significantly, particularly in a Warriors side that loves to move the ball wide early in sets.
Laban showed flashes of strong base production whenever he was given extended minutes last season, and that role is the key here. Draftstars scoring still rewards edge forwards for their defensive work and yardage carries, but the added bonus is their involvement in attacking shifts where line breaks, try assists and tries themselves become far more realistic outcomes.
Against the Roosters, Laban should see plenty of ball down his edge with Tanah Boyd and the Warriors’ halves regularly using second-rowers as short-ball runners close to the line. If he pushes towards the 50–60 minute mark, he has a solid base floor through tackles and carries, but also genuine attacking upside that can spike his score well beyond his salary expectations. At this price point, that combination of floor and ceiling makes him one of the most appealing value options on the slate.
Luke Garner ($10,980) shapes as a sneaky value option for Penrith in the second game of the night. Garner has become a valuable utility forward for the Panthers thanks to his work rate and versatility, and whenever he starts or receives extended minutes his Draftstars scoring profile improves significantly.
Garner’s value comes almost entirely through base production. When playing 60+ minutes last season, he consistently produced strong defensive numbers while also contributing solid run metres through Penrith’s middle rotation. Those base stats alone regularly put him in the 35–40 Draftstars point range before any attacking contributions are added.
The matchup with Brisbane is also favourable from a fantasy perspective. The Broncos’ aggressive middle attack through Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan tends to generate plenty of defensive work for opposition forwards, and Penrith locks and edges historically rack up tackle counts in these clashes. Garner doesn’t need a try or line break to hit value - if he simply plays his usual workhorse role he can comfortably outperform this price tag.
NRL Friday Round 1: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad ($12,180) is one of the safest mid-range options on the slate thanks to his elite base stat production from the fullback position. Few outside backs in the NRL generate as much work through yardage carries as CNK, and that translates extremely well into Draftstars scoring.
Last season Nicoll-Klokstad averaged well over 200 running metres per game, regularly producing 20+ runs as the Warriors’ primary yardage outlet. Those carries alone often generate 20–25 fantasy points before tackles, tackle busts or attacking stats are added.
Against the Roosters, that yardage role should be even more pronounced. Sydney’s kick-heavy approach, particularly with Daly Cherry-Evans joining the side, means plenty of deep kicks that allow CNK to rack up return metres. That type of game script is perfect for Draftstars scoring, giving him one of the most reliable floors among mid-priced players on the slate. If he adds a line break or try involvement on top of that base workload, a 50+ score is firmly in play.
Sam Walker ($14,200) is a classic Draftstars ceiling play and a player who could easily end up in the winning lineup if the Roosters attack fires. Walker’s fantasy scoring is heavily tied to attacking involvement, but that also gives him enormous upside when the Roosters are generating line breaks and try opportunities.
Walker produced multiple 60+ Draftstars scores last season, largely driven by his try assists, line break assists and kicking game. As the primary playmaker in the Roosters’ spine alongside Daly Cherry-Evans, he should continue to dominate attacking touches inside the opposition half. His combination with the Roosters’ left-edge attack, where they traditionally create the majority of their scoring opportunities, gives him strong assist potential.
Another key factor for Walker’s fantasy ceiling is the goal kicking duties. As the Roosters’ primary goal kicker, he gains another valuable scoring avenue that can quietly add 8–12 Draftstars points in games where the Roosters cross the stripe multiple times. On a slate where attacking stats can swing contests quickly, those extra goal kicking points provide both a safer floor and additional ceiling. If the Roosters find attacking rhythm early, Walker has the playmaking role and goal kicking responsibility to stack up points quickly.
NRL Friday Round 1: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Patrick Carrigan ($16,830) stands out as one of the strongest premium forward options on this two-game slate thanks to his elite work rate and ability to produce big Draftstars scores purely through base stats. Carrigan is essentially the engine of the Broncos’ forward pack, and his fantasy output reflects that workload.
Carrigan routinely pushes into the 40-50 tackle range when games are tight, while also producing strong run metres through his middle carries. That defensive workload alone can generate 35–40 Draftstars points before any attacking contributions are added. He also has sneaky attacking upside with his offload game and ability to link through the middle, which often leads to line break assists or try assists.
The matchup with Penrith should suit his fantasy scoring profile perfectly. The Panthers’ structured attack forces opposition middle forwards into huge defensive workloads, and games between these two sides are typically high in total tackles for locks and middles. Carrigan’s ability to stay on the field for big minutes gives him one of the highest floors among forwards on the slate. In tight, finals-style contests like this one, he’s exactly the sort of reliable premium play you want anchoring your lineup.
Isaah Yeo ($17,450) is the definition of a Draftstars “base beast,” and he becomes even more valuable on a short two-game slate where reliable forward scoring is at a premium. As Penrith’s lock and on-field organiser, Yeo consistently produces elite defensive numbers while also contributing as a ball-playing link in the Panthers’ attacking structure.
Yeo regularly records 40+ tackles in big games, and his ability to distribute the ball at the line gives him extra avenues for fantasy scoring through try assists and line break assists. He also adds strong running metres through his middle carries, which keeps his base scoring incredibly consistent.
One strategic decision in building lineups around these premium forwards is fading Payne Haas, who comes in as the most expensive forward on the slate by a significant margin - nearly $4.5k more than several other elite options. By leaving Haas out, it opens up a lot more roster flexibility. It allows you to comfortably fit both Yeo and Carrigan together, or alternatively spend up at other premium positions such as Reece Walsh in the outside backs or Nathan Cleary in the halves.
Of course, fading Haas always carries risk given his elite base production and enormous minute load. He’s capable of putting up slate-breaking scores through pure work rate alone. However, in a tight two-game slate where salary flexibility matters, pivoting away from the most expensive forward can create more balanced lineups and unlock multiple premium scoring paths.
Suggested NRL Friday Draftstars Lineup
NRL Friday Match Info & Betting Odds
Game 1
Odds: Warriors ($2.55) vs Roosters ($1.52)
Line: Roosters (-5.5)
Points: 40.5
Game 2
Broncos ($1.70) vs Panthers ($2.15)
Line: Broncos (-2.5)
Points: 41.5
Also, be sure to check out our full NRL Previews and Betting Tips for each match. Our experts break down each individual game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
