With most of the big guns out of action for the first of the major bye rounds, there's some much-needed good news with a few Fantasy-relevant players making their return to the field in Round 13.
Remember that in Round 13, 16 and 19 only your starting 13 players count towards your score for the round. Interchange player scores will not count toward your team’s total for these rounds, unless they are utilised as auto emergency players.
NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 13
Eels v Sharks, Thursday at CommBank Stadium
Eels: The return of Clint Gutherson spells the end of popular cash cow Blaize Talagi's time as starting fullback, with the $411k rookie dropping back to the bench. He's a good chance of still reaching a break even of 12 though, so isn't an urgent sell. Mitchell Moses also returns from injury and given the lack of elite HLFs around this week (the top five by average are all missing) he might be an immediate buy for some coaches. Basement-priced HOK Brendan Hands comes into the starting role with Joey Lussick dumped from the side.
Sharks: Braydon Trindall returns to the side this week and plays in the halves alongside cash cow Daniel Atkinson. CTR sensation Kayal Iro's price tag is now up to $507k, but he might plateau this week given his break even of 41.
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Knights v Bulldogs, Friday at McDonald Jones Stadium
Knights: A break even of -18 has David Armstrong positioned to make lots of money this week, on the back of his last-up 87. Tyson Frizell is on the bench for a second-straight game, which means Kai Pearce-Paul and Dylan Lucas will be in the run-on side. If it's a long-term move then Lucas ($688k) has cut-price keeper potential.
Bulldogs: It's looking like time to sell Sam Hughes this week, with the $440k MID unlikely to reach his break even of 37. If you stuck with Hughes from the get-go then he's been a pleasant surprise whose earned you $190k in value after a slow start to the season. Jaeman Salmon kicked off another few rounds of price rises with a 65 last week. Reed Mahoney (HOK, $712k) is travelling nicely with a last three round average of 55.3.
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Panthers v Dragons, Saturday BlueBet Stadium
Panthers: Brad Schneider returns from injury and should play every game for Penrith now until Nathan Cleary returns around Round 19, but included in that period are two byes for the Panthers. Paul Alamoti looks a little undervalued at $496k if he can keep a backline spot long term, with a 40-point average through his five games so far.
Dragons: There's value in Jack de Belin ($726k) if he can maintain his current run of form which has him as a mid 50s player over his past five games. Jesse Marschke, who is owned by over 13 percent of teams, gets a run at halfback in the absence of Ben Hunt, but expect a fair chunk of the kicking metres to go the way of Kyle Flanagan.
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Dolphins v Raiders, Saturday at Kayo Stadium
Dolphins: High-performing WFB Trai Fuller is back in action with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow out on Origin duty and this week he's actually the highest averaging player in Fantasy (57.5 per game) who will be taking the field. His teammate Euan Aitken (EDG/CTR, $750k) is next in line on that list and between them the pair could be the most popular captaincy picks of Round 13. With Harry Grant and Reece Robson out this week, Jeremy Marshall-King could be a popular HOK pickup given the Dolphins play in all of the major bye rounds.
Raiders: Even in a badly beaten side last week Kaeo Weekes managed to hit 50 and the $499k WFB/HLF is turning into one of the better cut-price keepers around for the middle part of the season. Outside of him the Raiders don't have an elite positional player this week with Hudson Young on Origin duty.
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Roosters v Cowboys, Sunday at Allianz Stadium
Roosters: James Tedesco owners get an unexpected gift with the fullback available this week after being overlooked for the NSW side. Terrell May, who still sits in 11 percent of teams, comes into the starting side, along with Nat Butcher who was rested in Round 12.
Cowboys: North Queensland's two most popular Fantasy players, Reuben Cotter and Reece Robson, are out on Origin duty, but WFB Scott Drinkwater is jumping up in ownership and currently sits in 12 percent of teams. WFB/CTR Tom Chester returns from injury in the centres, while MID Tom Mikaele, who has the third best points-per-minute output in Fantasy starts at lock.
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