The only way is up after a disastrous 2020 campaign for Brisbane, and that's potentially good news for Fantasy coaches hunting for bargains.
Still blessed with some terrific young talent and a proven star at a very affordable price, the Broncos may become a very popular Fantasy team this year.
Players to watch
Payne Haas
Two years ago Haas had arguably the greatest Fantasy season in history, starting as a low-priced rookie and finishing as the game's highest-scoring player. Last year he slipped to third in the overall rankings but remained the only front-rower with an average over 70 (Nathan Cleary and Cameron McInnes edged him in terms of total points).
A hulking prop with the ability to bust tackles and offload plus unparalleled stamina for a player his size, Haas is capable of playing the full 80 minutes and racking up absurd stat lines – but will that happen under new Broncos coach Kevin Walters?
Analysing the Broncos' 2021 draw
"I've told Kevvie I don't want to play 80 minutes every game next year," Haas told NRL.com in October. "I think it will be better, I want it to be about quality over quantity."
It's probably good news for Brisbane but bad news for Fantasy coaches keen to splash out on Haas's high starting price, so it may be wise to hold off on buying the 21-year-old until later in the season when his price has taken a dip.
The Broncos' 2020 season in review
Anthony Milford
This one's all about value. Once a genuine Fantasy keeper, Anthony Milford had a very ordinary 2020 season and his Fantasy price tag has tumbled as a result.
Here are his average scores across the previous four seasons: 46 points per game (2016); 46 ppg (2017); 51 ppg (2018); 55 ppg (2019). Last year Milford averaged just 32 points a game.
If Kevin Walters can get the best out of Milford once more – or even if the Broncos can improve on last year's disastrous last-placed finish – their star five-eighth should grow in value.
If he can bring his average back to the 40s he'd be a good moneymaker, and if he can match his 2019 numbers he'd be an absolute steal.
Tesi Niu
Likely to start at fullback this season, Niu averaged just over 22 points from his six appearances last season – but that average is weighed down by three games when he came off the bench.
He showed his Fantasy potential with an excellent 52-point effort at fullback against the Bulldogs (without relying on any tries) and would only need to score in the mid-30s to be a valuable early-season cash cow.
Likely to start in the centres (in which case he'd become a dual position player before round one), Niu is shaping as a handy cheap option for your reserves covering winger/fullback and centre.
Riki relishing season return
Jordan Riki
One of many impressive young forwards to come through the Broncos' ranks in recent years, Riki will be pushing for a starting spot on an edge in 2021.
He'll start at a discount after scoring just under 30 points per game across his five appearances last season, but he's already proven he can produce keeper-level scores when given the game time.
In his final two appearances of 2020 he scored 56 points in 48 minutes against Penrith (including a try) and 50 points in 80-minutes against the Cowboys.
The big question for Riki is whether he'll be able to break into Brisbane's starting 13, with veteran Alex Glenn probably ahead of him in the pecking order at this stage.
Broncos 2021 NRL Fantasy prices
Payne Haas MID $967,000
Patrick Carrigan MID $807,000
Andrew McCullough HOK $724,000
Tevita Pangai jnr MID, EDG $717,000
Kotoni Staggs CTR $564,000
Thomas Dearden HLF $540,000
Jake Turpin HOK $533,000
Thomas Flegler MID $529,000
Brodie Croft HLF $474,000
Alex Glenn EDG $445,000
Anthony Milford HLF $427,000
Jamayne Isaako WFB $399,000
Matthew Lodge MID $390,000
Xavier Coates WFB $363,000
Cory Paix HOK, HLF $362,000
Herbie Farnworth WFB, CTR $352,000
Jordan Riki EDG $344,000
Rhys Kennedy MID $334,000
Corey Oates WFB $310,000
John Asiata MID $300,000
Jesse Arthars WFB, CTR $277,000
Fanitesi Niu WFB $263,000
Ben Te'o EDG, MID $260,000
Dale Copley CTR $251,000
Keenan Palasia EDG $228,000
