Fantasy cash cows to target in 2024

It's all about the money when it comes to getting a leg up in NRL Fantasy and your investment decisions now can make all the difference later in the season. 

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By now coaches should have a good idea of who their big guns are, but equally important are your money makers, who will allow you to grow your salary cap as the year goes on and gradually add more and more superstars to your roster.

Cash cows come in all manner of shapes and sizes and there is no exact science to picking them, with plenty falling flat when circumstances seemed made for them to excel and others coming out of nowhere to make a mint. 

Here are the leading cash cow contenders Fantasy coaches should be looking at to start the season. 

Don't forget the first two games of the 2024 Telstra Premiership season kick off this Sunday, with any Broncos, Rabbitohs, Roosters and Sea Eagles players becoming locked out at the start of their respective games.

Fantasy cash cows to target

Jaeman Salmon (EDG, $289k)

After being almost exclusively a limited-minute interchange player at the Panthers, Salmon looks like becoming a starter at the Bulldogs and taking on a much bigger role. He averaged only 21 per game last season, but hit a 38 and 37 in his two Pre-Season Challenge games recently and will jump up close to $100k in value through the first month if he can average that in the season proper. Even if his minutes and scores reduce, he's well placed to make money. 

Ben Trbojevic (EDG/CTR, $250k)

'Burbo' has had cash cow potential for the past three years and failed to kick on, with his best season average to date being 18.7 points. But he's positioned to cement himself as a starting back-rower at the Sea Eagles in 2024 and should take a big leap as a Fantasy player, with Josh Schuster his only real rival for minutes. If he can lift his average up to 30 then he should go up by about $60k in his first three games, so is well worth bringing in. 

Sam Hughes (MID, $250k)

The Bulldogs don't have a lot of depth in the middle right now, which means Hughes is a good chance of being a regular in the NRL side to start the year. He played a prominent role in the Pre-Season Challenge, registering Fantasy scores of 31 and 24, and while he's unlikely to be a huge money maker long term, that type of output in the season will be enough to see him make steady cash through the first month. The club has just re-signed the 23-year-old through until the end of 2026, so they see a future in him which bodes well for his first-grade prospects this year. 

Jack Bostock (WFB, $307k)

A strong performer through the pre-season and a try scorer in each of the Dolphins' two Pre-Season Challenge matches, in which he hit scores of 37 and 22. As is the case for most wingers, his scores are likely to be fairly up and down and will rely on him scoring tries, but provided he has the occasional breakout game he looks like he'll have a high enough floor to ensure he keeps making money. There's plenty of competition for spots in Wayne Bennett's backline, but for now Bostock appears to have jumped ahead in the queue. 

Keano Kini (WFB, $279k)

Only an option if you are prepared to cash him out before he peaks in price or are happy to play the long game. While most cash cows have low levels of job security, Kini basically has none after Round 4 when Jayden Campbell is scheduled to return from injury and will take the starting fullback job back. But Kini is good enough that he can smash a few break evens in that time, with more chances sure to come when injuries and Origin selection hit the Gold Coast later on. He averaged 20.3 last year, with all but two of his six appearances coming off the bench, so his ceiling is potentially much higher.  

Ethan Strange (CTR, $250k)

At the time of writing it's still unclear whether it'll be Strange or Kaeo Weekes who gets the nod at five-eighth for the Raiders, but Pre-Season Challenge form would suggest it's the rookie who has got the edge. A 38 against the Eels came despite 10 minutes in the sin bin, with Strange looking comfortable in his role alongside Weekes. He'll losing goalkicking and a lot of general play kicking points if and when he's playing next to Jamal Fogarty, but it might also free up his running game which looks his greatest strength right now.