Fantasy Q&A: Round 11

There are injuries to a pair of popular forwards to contend with this week, and while one of them is a definite sell, the other is a tougher call to make. 

• NRL Late Mail: Round 11
• NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 11

We also look over some good cash-down options as coaches try to free up cash for some big-time trades in coming rounds. 

Who do I bring in for Matty Nicholson?

I'm a big fan of a straight swap for Dylan Lucas here, provided you have the cash reserves to make up the $54k price difference.

Lucas (EDG/CTR, $733k) looks like being a reliable 60+ scorer on a week-to-week basis, with a very high floor thanks to a locked down 80-minute role and high defensive output.

Newcastle have a great bye schedule from a Fantasy point of view too, with no bye now until Round 18, which means Lucas will be very available compared to others for the next two months as Origin takes place (assuming he isn't picked to play in the series). 

While I'd probably avoid buying Hudson Young while he's at peak price, and expected to miss time over the Origin period, there is another good option at Canberra in Zac Hosking, who will take Nicholson's starting role.

Hosking is a proven Fantasy gun who should average in the high 50s from here, and he's reasonably cheap at $592k.

Best cash down options?

Here's something I definitely didn't see myself saying after a couple of rounds this season: Brendan Piakura might be a buy.

As abysmal as he was in Fantasy through the first five weeks (averaging 11.4 per game and managing a high of just 27), the Brisbane EDG has turned things around in a big way over the past fortnight, averaging 66 across those two games and playing the full 80 minutes in each. 

I don't expect him to keep up that level of scoring, and there's a chance he gets bumped back down the pecking order when Jack Gosiewski returns from injury around week 14, but at $339k he doesn't have to be a world beater to be valuable to you. 

If you want to go basement level price then it's slim pickings, but I'd take a punt on young Dragons MID Loko Pasifiki Tonga. 

He scored 29 in 30 minutes last week (which was likely inflated by Toby Couchman's injury) and looks set to have a role for at least the next few weeks and possibly over the Origin period if Jaydn Su'A makes the Maroons and triggers a pack reshuffle. 

Is Couchman a hold or a sell?

Ideally he's a hold, but it'll depend on your situation.

With an expected Round 14 return date, and the Dragons sitting out Round 12 on a bye anyway, Couchman potentially misses just two games that we weren't already expecting him to, due to the shoulder injury he suffered last week. 

He's a keeper-level scorer in the pack who you're probably going to want for the second part of the year.