The return of Nathan Cleary, Fantasy's most popular HLF and third most owned player overall, headlines team List Tuesday for Round 21, while Payne Haas is back on deck to boost teams as well.
Another batch of injuries is set to force trades this week, but it's also created a new bunch of new potential cut-price keepers and cash down options.
NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 21
Roosters v Storm, Thursday at Allianz Stadium
Roosters: Money-maker HLF Hugo Savala has been named in the reserves and is a chance of returning from a wrist injury. While lots of coaches moved off him last week, if you still have him then it's worth holding fire until Thursday night to see if he ends up coming into the halves. Salesi Foketi (EDG/MID) remains in the run-on pack and at $509k, with a break even of 17, it's not too late to pick him up as a possible cut-price keeper. Despite scoring a try last week James Tedesco still ended up hitting a below 30 score for the first time since Round 7.
Storm: Cameron Munster won't play this week after being given time off for his father's funeral, so Tyran Wishart gets a run in the halves and becomes a streaming option in Draft leagues. Jahrome Hughes has really come good for the back end of the year and thanks to a last-up 68, he has a last three game average of 63.3. Ryan Papenhuyzen, who still sits in over 16 percent of teams, is sidelined again by a calf injury.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Cowboys v Dragons, Friday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Cowboys: A hamstring injury for Murray Tualagi, which is expected to keep him out for 4-6 weeks, means Braidon Burns (CTR/WFB, $494k) is now a genuine cash down option who should have a starting role for the remainder of the season. Highly owned DPP Jaxon Purdue is back in the centres this week, which sees Thomas Duffy return to the halves. Duffy, who we had high hopes for at the start of the season, never kicked on and made money, but he's a streaming option in deeper Draft leagues this week.
Dragons: A 57 for Jaydn Su'A last week means he has a L3 average of 63.7 and is a point of difference option at EDG. Cash cow Lyhkan King-Togia is set to either lose money or make a very modest profit this week, so can be sold if you plan to cash him out on the run home. Hamish Stewart dropped $35k in value last week and is likely to lose significant money again due to a break even of 47 in Round 21.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Broncos v Eels, Friday at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: Payne Haas returns to the fold after being rested on the back of Origin III, prior to Brisbane's Round 20 bye. WFB Reece Walsh ($542k) has now crept up to 10.5 percent ownership after a bit of a late-season revival. Brendan Piakura starts but faces a break even of 50 due to a last-up two point performance which came after he suffered an injury just 11 minutes in. The return of Corey Jensen could have an impact on the scoring potential of players like Xavier Willison and Kobe Hetherington this week.
Eels: Parramatta's most popular Fantasy player, Isaiah Iongi, is out with a broken hand, so basement-priced WFB Joash Papalii gets a run at fullback. There's a good chance Iongi has played his last regular season game for the year, so there's a path to Papalii being a low-level cash down, although his Fantasy record in 2025 (averaging 17.7 points) is less than inspiring. Mitch Moses returns from injury, but his prior scoring this season suggests he's going to finish well out of the elite tier HLF conversation. There could be real interest in Charlie Guymer (EDG, $423k) now, with a starting role his once again on the back of a 56 in Round 20.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Warriors v Titans, Saturday at Go Media Stadium
Warriors: Popular Round 20 pickup Tanah Boyd ended up scoring 49 and justified having a trade spent on him. At $532k this week there's probably still some value in him as a cash down. A 47 for Erin Clark continued what has been a slight drop off for the MID/HOK over the last month, but if you're using him as a HOK then he's definitely worth holding. Money-making EDG Leka Halasima should increase in value again on the back of his miracle match-winner in Round 20, with his break even set at 31.
Titans: A 48 for Jayden Campbell marked a return towards keeper-level scoring after a couple of poor games, but it was fullback AJ Brimson who owned the big moments and was rewarded with a season-high 61. Tino Fa'asuamaelaui (knee) is a sell this week, with Klese Haas (MID/EDG, $351k) stepping into a starting role in his place.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Panthers v Wests Tigers, Saturday at CommBank Stadium
Panthers: Big guns Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo return to action after being rested in Round 20, during which time WFB Dylan Edwards stole the show with a round-high 101. Cleary, who sits in 37 percent of teams, will become a captaincy candidate right away for those looking to get away from the extremely popular Terrell May, who he comes up against in Round 21. The presence of Liam Martin in the wider reserves could mean Luke Garner moves back to the bench come kick off.
Wests Tigers: A 66 in his club debut means Taylan May (CTR, $507k) will get plenty of trade interest this week. While he had a try and two try assists as part of that score, it seemed pretty obvious that Benji Marshall plans to make him a focal point of the attack, so it's a decent bet that he could be a 50-point scorer on a week-to-week basis from here. His brother Terrell is now owned by over half of all teams and comes off a sixth score of 80 or more points this season. Jeral Skelton showed his potential with a 62 in Round 20 and he could be a major beneficiary of the club picking up Taylan May. Currently owned by 0.6 percent of teams and priced at a very reasonable $378k, there's cash down potential aplenty there.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Rabbitohs v Sharks, Saturday at Industree Group Stadium
Rabbitohs: The loss of Keaon Koloamatangi to a season-ending ankle injury is a massive blow, with the DPP forward owned by just over 16 percent of teams. Euan Aitken, who starts in the pack this week, gained DPP status in the Round 21 positional updates, which suddenly makes him an attractive option for the run home. Jye Gray returns from a thumb injury to slot in at fullback this week. Given Latrell Mitchell is scheduled to return as early as Round 24, there's not enough runway for Gray to be a pickup in Classic leagues, but he's worth a look as a streaming option in Draft.
Sharks: Blayke Brailey is now the competition's form HOK by a comfortable margin, with a 77 in Round 20 taking his L3 average to 65.7. Billy Burns (EDG, $360k) had 52 last week and is named to start in the back row against the Bunnies. After a promising 42 on debut last week, Chris Vea'ila drops out to make way for the return of Jesse Ramien.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Raiders v Knights, Sunday at GIO Stadium
Raiders: After powering to a 70 last week which doubled his prior season average, Seb Kris is sidelined by concussion and replaced in the centres by Simi Sasagi. Playing in his first NRL game since Round 16, Hudson Young was back in an 80-minute role and carved out 69 points without a try, assist or line break. Kaeo Weekes (HLF/WFB, $572k) came back to earth with a 39 last week, after registering a 68 and 94 in his two games prior.
Knights: Dane Gagai (CTR, $598k) is suddenly Fantasy relevant now that he's playing fullback, with last week's 56 meaning he has scored 120 points in his last two games. Those who grabbed Jayden Brailey following his return to the run-on side at hooker have ended up getting a decent cash down player who is averaging 48 over his last five games and 45 across his last three. You can safely add Kai Pearce-Paul to the elite EDG conversation now, and at $682k he's a bit cheaper than others in the same group.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com
Bulldogs v Sea Eagles, Sunday at Allianz Stadium
Bulldogs: Lachlan Galvin has retained the No.7 jersey and is a good cash-down prospect this week at $463k. He's not going to rival the elite HLFs as a scorer, but something like last week's 55 might not be uncommon for him given his role leading one of the competition's best sides around the park. Highly-owned DPP back Jacob Kiraz is travelling OK, but a 47 last week, which came with him scoring a try, is a bit below what you want.
Sea Eagles: Tom Trbojevic has ended up being an excellent cash-down option who is now a set-and-forget starter at either WFB or CTR, after gaining designation in the latter position in the latest lot of dual position updates. Manly's most popular Fantasy player, Reuben Garrick, seemed to be in everything in the win over the Storm, but it didn't translate to Fantasy points and a last-up 35 means he's now sitting on a 45.7 L3 average. Haumole Olakau'atu returns from injury to add another name to the elite EDG discussion.
This article contains content that is only available on 94ddz.com