Nicho Hynes remains on ice, the likely top CTR option for 2023 has been named at lock and a couple of backline stars are set to return in Round 2.
A handful of injuries last week has ensured plenty of movement in teams, while there are judgement calls to be made on some underwhelming cash cow prospects who have retained their spots.
NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 2
Panthers v Rabbitohs, Thursday at BlueBet Stadium
Panthers: HOK Soni Luke ($275k) retains a spot on the bench and is positioned to make some money after a try helped him to 39 points last week. His performance on the field impressed plenty and he now looks a good chance of keeping the No.14 role from Tyrone Peachey for the foreseeable future. Starting hooker Mitch Kenny scored 47 and still has money to make, with the only worry now that he will lose minutes to Luke.
Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell is named despite being under an injury cloud with a knee complaint, and owners will be sweating on his availability after he made a roaring start to the season with 61 points last week. Both Tevita Tatola (head knock) and Jai Arrow (hamstring) are out, which opens the door for basement-price MID Daniel Suluka-Fifita to start and Jed Cartwright ($372k) to join the bench. Popular CTR/WFB Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson (332k) looks set to retain his spot on the wing, with Taane Milne, who is returning from suspension, named in the reserves.
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Eels v Sharks, Friday at CommBank Stadium
Eels: Fantasy's fifth most popular player, J'maine Hopgood, retains his spot at lock after a brilliant effort last week which yielded 82 points. Bryce Cartwright ($297k) starts in the second row again and looks set to make some nice money with his break even sitting at -9. Dylan Brown ($726k) owners will be hoping for a quick bounce back after his disappointing 33 to start the year.
Sharks: Still no sign of Nicho Hynes, which leaves those who brought him into their original teams last week in a tricky spot. It means Braydon Trindall ($268k) gets another go at halfback, although his score of 33 last week, which included a try, was a little underwhelming. Eight missed tackles, amounting to -16 points in demerits, hampered what should have been a good score for Teig Wilton after he got over for a try, but his 45 was still decent and he looks a solid EDG option.
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Broncos v Cowboys, Friday at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: Reece Walsh is back at fullback which means Selwyn Cobbo returns to his normal post on the wing, which owners won't mind one bit after he managed just 15 points last week. Patrick Carrigan and Payne Haas showed they are set to be elite MID options once again with opening scores in the 60s.
Cowboys: Reuben Cotter ($752k) looks a good value prospect after busting out 60 last week in a 67-minute showing. A try assist and line break assist helped CTR Valentine Holmes to 42. Back-rower Jeremiah Nanai ($613k) had a poor score of 20 first up.
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Roosters v Warriors, Saturday at Allianz Stadium
Roosters: Joseph Manu ($730k CTR/WFB) is back following a facial fracture suffered during the pre-season, while MID Victor Radley ($550k) is named after being in the wars last week, suffering an eye injury and failing a HIA. Bench hooker Jake Turpin's 42 was a nice surprise, but expect his minutes to reduce significantly this week. James Tedesco's price tag of $745k is a good chance of dropping after this week, with a break even of 70.
Warriors: Captain Tohu Harris is the main man to watch after scoring nearly a point a minute last week with his 70. Plenty of interest too in back-rower Jackson Ford ($364k), who is in 20 per cent of all teams and shapes as a nice money maker after hitting 44 in his club debut.
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Dolphins v Raiders, Saturday at Kayo Stadium
Dolphins: The most owned player in Fantasy, Isaiya Katoa, retains his spot at five-eighth, and despite struggling on the Fantasy front last week with just 11 points, should be better for the run come Round 2. Given he is listed as both an EDG and CTR in Fantasy, Connelly Lemuelu presents as a good pick up because he will come off the bench and play in the back row. Last week, helped by a try, he scored 64 and he is priced at just $432k.
Raiders: With Jordan Rapana out suspended, $376k WFB Albert Hopoate gets a run on the wing. Sebastian Kris stays at fullback, but those hoping his Fantasy scores would shoot up while playing there were left disappointed by his 22 last week.
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Storm v Bulldogs, Saturday at AAMI Park
Storm: With Cameron Munster out with a compound fracture of his ring finger, Tyran Wishart ($231k, HLF/WFB) gets the chance to start at five-eighth. Xavier Coates is named to start after being injured last week in a game in which he scored 27 Fantasy points. Josh King retains his place at lock after being one of the Fantasy stars of Round 1, scoring 77 points, and he has a break even of seven. There is more money to be made on cheapie Trent Loiero after his 45 last week, with his break even 15 and another start coming his way in the back row.
Bulldogs: Reed Mahoney could be the best value for money HOK option around if he can score something near his 71 from Round 1, right now costing $687k, which is well below the other elite options in the position. A heavy first-up loss meant there were plenty of disappointments in this side last week, headed up by $675k HLF Matt Burton, who scored 16, while rookie Paul Alamoti, who is in half of all Fantasy teams, managed just 17.
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Wests Tigers v Knights, Sunday Leichhardt Oval
Wests Tigers: John Bateman has been overlooked again, but there are plenty of Fantasy relevant players in this team, with six who scored 50 or over in last week's loss to the Titans. Brent Naden popped up as a sneaky CTR option at $331k after scoring 50 in Round 1, while David Klemmer (806k) looks set to carry through his strong form from last year after hitting 65 in his club debut. Popular cheapies Shawn Blore (who only played 18 minutes due to a failed HIA) and Tommy Talau both lost money last week after failing to meet their break even.
Knights: It goes from bad to worse for those who started the year with Adam Elliott, with the forward out with a groin injury after scoring just 29 last week. Lachlan Miller made a good start to life at the Knights with 43 against the Warriors, and he should jump in price again this week with a break even of 21. Tyson Frizell had been scoring nearly a point per minute when he left the field for a HIA which he failed on 14 minutes last week, and is named to start.
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Dragons v Titans, Sunday at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Dragons: Jack Bird ($607k) has been named at lock, which straight away confirms him as the best CTR option in Fantasy to start the year. Basement-priced WFB Tyrell Sloan has been named at fullback and shapes as a possible cash cow or cut-price depth player, as does Ben Murdoch-Masila ($250k) who starts on an edge after playing more as a limited minute middle in recent times. Moses Mbye ($300k) is listed as a CTR, WFB but starts at hooker where his scores should be much higher than when he plays in the centres.
Titans: Toby Sexton is on standby should Kieran Foran, who has been named despite injuring his knee in Round 1, fail to be declared fit. A 56 from David Fifita ($772k) was a good start for those who took a punt on him in their original teams, while owners of popular rookie WFB Alofiana Khan-Pereira will be hoping for a drastic improvement on his Round 1 donut which saw him lose $30k in value.
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