NRL Fantasy Q&A: Round 3

With injury clouds hovering over a couple of key players this week and calls needing to be made on struggling cheapies, there's plenty to consider ahead of Round 3 of the NRL Telstra Premiership.

• NRL Late Mail: Round 3
• NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 3

This week we discuss the Turbo gamble, holding v selling Isaiah Iongi and the hype around new Raiders EDG Matty Nicholson. 

NRL Fantasy Q&A: Round 3

Matty Nicholson a buy?

Now that Zac Hosking is going to be laid up for at least a month with a hand injury, Nicholson has some appeal as a lower-level money maker or someone you take a punt on, in the hope he plays well and keeps the spot long term.

Last week's NRL debut was one out of the bag for Nicholson and his Fantasy owners alike, with a pair of tries helping him to 82 points. But even if you minus off the pair tries and his two line breaks, he still would have scored 58. Take a few of his seven tackle breaks off as well for good measure and it's still a respectable low 50s score. 

That's borderline keeper level scoring for an EDG and means he's still well and truly underpriced at $501k this week. I think he's a good buy provided you're willing to potentially part ways with him as early as Round 7 and you understand that at his current price he's unlikely to be a huge money maker. 

Should I sell Iongi?

He's already lost $10k in value and will probably go down again this week, but I'd be tempted just to hold Isaiah Iongi at this point and trust that better days are coming for him. 

The rookie No.1, who sits in 46 percent of all teams, is unlikely to lose his spot anytime soon and the nature of his position – and the fact that he's a really good young prospect – means a breakout game is bound to happen at some stage. If and when it does, it won't take much for him to get back on the path to making money. 

Moving off him isn't a good use of a trade right now, especially given how little he is worth. 

Is Haas the best captaincy choice this week?

I really like the Brisbane big man's chances of beating up on the Cowboys in the middle on Friday night and registering plenty of tackle busts once fatigue sets in. 

He's the top scoring player by average in Fantasy right now, and with a projected score of 68 this week, he's also the tied with Kalyn Ponga in terms of the predicted highest scorer in Round 3. 

Ponga himself is a decent bet, but he's set to be missing some key personnel which could limit his potential in attack. Haas is the go for me and the data backs that feeling up. 

Worth taking the risk on Turbo?

I have no inside information on this at all, but Tom Trbojevic playing in Round 3 isn't something I'd want to be relying on.

His history with hamstring and back issues, coach Anthony Seibold's comments that they'll be cautious with their star No.1 and the fact that Manly have a couple of capable replacements in Reuben Garrick and Lehi Hopoate, point to 'Turbo' probably being a little bit more unlikely than likely this week. 

If the Sea Eagles played earlier in the round then it'd be far less risky to wait and see, but given they are the last game on Sunday you'll be left with only Manly or Canberra players as potential replacements.

Better to plan an exit strategy now if you don't think you can carry him with a red dot this weekend.