They may have had the league's best try-scorer in their ranks last season but for the most part 2015 was another year to forget for the Eels. That may change this season after a terrific recruiting drive, which has given Parramatta a great chance to sneak into the top eight.
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Fantasy guns
Semi Radradra: The flying Fijian was scoring tries at will last year and pulled off the remarkable feat of averaging more than 50 points a game in NRL Fantasy despite playing on the wing – generally the lowest-scoring position in the game. That shows he's not just a try-scorer – Radradra regularly racks up a mountain of run metres and tackle busts and should only get more attacking chances in a backline now led by Kieran Foran.
Nathan Peats: The only other Eel to score 50 points a game last season, Peats is a solid scorer in the hooker position and could be a popular option during the State of Origin period with Parramatta the only club to play in all three major bye rounds.
Wild card
Kieran Foran: A top quality player for years at Manly and for New Zealand, Foran has generally been the textbook example of an excellent NRL player whose talents simply don't convert to Fantasy footy. Unlike his old halves partner Daly Cherry-Evans, Foran doesn't notch big numbers for tackles, kick metres or run metres, and therefore has been a mediocre Fantasy prospect. That could change when he takes on the chief playmaker role at the Eels, but he'd need to dominate the kicking in general play for starters to be a serious Fantasy scorer.
Value buys
Michael Gordon: After sharing the fullback role at times with Valentine Holmes and Ben Barba at the Sharks last season, goal-kicking veteran Michael Gordon is set to wear the No.1 jersey fulltime at his new club this year and could thrive in a spine featuring Foran, Peats and Corey Norman. His $301,000 price tag is based on his average score of 33 last season; if he can return to his 2014 form – when he averaged 40 – he'll get some handy price rises.
Daniel Alvaro: The young prop will have a break even of just 26 after scoring about a point a minute in his limited appearances last season. He finished the year with a couple of decent stints off the bench, posting impressive scores of 73 and 56. Those scores were inflated by tries in both games, but Alvaro's obviously got the talent to be a big Fantasy improver this year.
Cash cow
Clinton Gutherson: The former Sea Eagle has only played five NRL games but appears set to slot into the Eels backline this year and starts the new season at just $134,000 after a single low-scoring appearance for Manly last season. Before that he'd scored four tries in as many NRL games and if he can hold his spot in the top grade this year he's every chance of scoring a few more and getting some good price boosts.
2016 NRL Fantasy prices
Nathan Peats ($478,000)
Semi Radradra ($452,000)
Cody Nelson ($398,000)
Tim Mannah ($390,000)
Manu Ma'u ($369,000)
Junior Paulo ($362,000)
Kieran Foran ($349,000)
Anthony Watmough ($341,000)
David Gower ($338,000)
Corey Norman ($336,000)
Danny Wicks ($329,000)
Michael Jennings ($327,000)
Beau Scott ($322,000)
Luke Kelly ($314,000)
Michael Gordon ($301,000)
Tepai Moeroa ($299,000)
Mitchell Cornish ($289,000)
Bureta Faraimo ($271,000)
Kaysa Pritchard ($248,000)
Isaac De Gois ($236,000)
Daniel Alvaro ($234,000)
Brad Takairangi ($210,000)
Ryan Morgan ($207,000)
John Folau ($196,000)
Peni Terepo ($192,000)
Pauli Pauli ($168,000)
Kelepi Tanginoa ($153,000)
Rory O'Brien ($136,000)
Clinton Gutherson ($134,000)
James Hasson ($134,000)
Ken Edwards ($215,000)
Cameron King ($134,000)
Vai Toutai ($134,000)
Joseph Ualesi ($130,000)
