Friday night in Round 2 of the 2026 NRL season sees another massive double-header, featuring four teams capable of making serious noise this season. The early game sees the Canberra Raiders travel across the ditch to take on the New Zealand Warriors in what shapes as a fascinating matchup between two forward packs that love to generate second phase play. Both sides showed plenty in Round 1, and with attacking weapons across the park, this contest projects as one of the higher scoring games of the weekend.
The late game brings us one of rugby league’s most iconic rivalries, as the Sydney Roosters host the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the latest chapter of the famous Book of Feuds. With star power across both squads and attacking firepower on each edge, this matchup always delivers fantasy relevance across multiple positions.
For Draftstars players, Friday night provides an excellent opportunity to attack both single game contests and the combined double-header slate. With plenty of elite fantasy producers and a number of value options emerging through team list changes, roster construction will be key to climbing the leaderboards. Draftstars contests on offer include:
NRL $6,000 – Warriors v Raiders
NRL $8,000 – Roosters v Rabbitohs
NRL $3,000 – Friday Night doubleheader
There are plenty of other contests available as well, so jump in and make the most of another huge night of NRL DFS action.
NRL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 2 Friday
NRL Friday Round 2: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ($8,000) jumps off the page immediately as one of the best salary saving options on the slate. Even at the tail end of his career, Watene-Zelezniak remains a strong Draftstars producer thanks to his elite yardage work from the wing. Few outside backs in the competition carry the ball out of their own end as frequently, and that translates perfectly into Draftstars scoring through run metres, tackle busts and runs.
In Round 1 he once again demonstrated that base stat floor, producing a solid fantasy score through pure yardage despite limited attacking opportunities. That role should remain intact against Canberra, particularly with the Raiders’ kicking game likely targeting the Warriors’ back three to control territory. More kicks mean more returns, and more metres for DWZ. If he can add a try, you’ve got a quality FLEX option.
Noah Martin ($10,880) is one of the more intriguing value to mid options on the slate after playing the full 80 minutes on the edge in Round 1. Any edge forward locked into an 80-minute role immediately becomes relevant in Draftstars, particularly at this price point where you’re essentially paying for a mid-rotation forward rather than an 80-minute edge.
Last week Martin showed exactly why that role is valuable from a DFS perspective. Playing the full match, he produced a tremendous fantasy score, helped of course by the two tries and two-line breaks. However, 48 tackles and 74 run metres would still have made for a decent score at price. Edge forwards in 80-minute roles often accumulate tackle counts in the mid to high 30s while still getting multiple attacking runs, which is a perfect recipe for Draftstars scoring.
NRL Friday Round 2: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Sam Walker ($13,850) continues to profile as one of the most dangerous Draftstars halves thanks to his attacking involvement and goal kicking duties. In Round 1 he didn’t deliver as we’d hoped, and honestly his floor is lower with the addition of Daly Cherry-Evans, given DCE has taken over as the main general player kicker in the team. Still, the upside is what we are paying for here, and Walker has shown in the past he can single handedly get you inside the money.
As the Roosters’ primary attacking organiser alongside Daly Cherry-Evans, Walker touches the ball on almost every attacking set inside the opposition half. That gives him consistent opportunities for try assists, line break assists and breaking the line himself, all extremely valuable scoring avenues on Draftstars.
David Fifita ($13,390) possesses one of the highest upsides of any player in the NRL from a fantasy output. When the ball finds him in attacking space, he can produce slate breaking scores through tackle busts, line breaks and tries, all of which carry significant Draftstars scoring bonuses.
In Round 1, Fifita once again flashed that enormous ceiling, producing multiple tackle busts and strong running metres despite limited attacking opportunities near the line. His fantasy profile has always been volatile, but that volatility is exactly what DFS players chase in tournaments.
NRL Friday Round 2: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Corey Horsburgh ($17,160) has evolved into one of the premier Draftstars middle forwards thanks to his relentless motor and ability to produce elite base statistics. The Raiders prop plays big minutes for a front rower, and that workload translates directly into fantasy scoring through tackles, run metres and the occasional offload.
In Round 1 he once again delivered a strong Draftstars score built almost entirely on base production, reinforcing why he’s such a safe premium forward option. When Horsburgh pushes beyond the 60-minute mark, his tackle counts and metres gained alone can drive him well beyond 50 fantasy points.
Mark Nawaqanitawase ($15,890) continues to grow into one of the most explosive outside backs in the competition, and that athleticism translates beautifully to Draftstars scoring. His ability to generate line breaks, tackle busts and long range tries gives him one of the highest ceilings among outside backs on the slate.
In Round 1 he immediately demonstrated his fantasy potential, producing a strong Draftstars score of 51.5 despite going tryless. That included several big attacking plays and strong yardage carries from kick returns. Those base metres are crucial for outside backs, providing a solid scoring foundation before attacking stats are added.
Suggested NRL Friday Draftstars Lineup
NRL Round 2 Friday Match Info & Betting Odds
Warriors ($1.85) vs Raiders ($1.95)
Line: Warriors (-1.5)
Points: 46.5
Roosters ($1.74) vs Rabbitohs ($2.10)
Line: Roosters (-2.5)
Points: 49.5
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!
