Last year's reigning premiers have lost two big names in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and James Maloney, but taking their places this year will be a couple of players high on Fantasy coaches' watch lists.
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Fantasy gun
Jake Friend: Tuivasa-Sheck's departure means Friend is the only Rooster to have averaged more than 50 points a game last season, and the hard-working dummy-half is one of several reliable hookers available in the game this season. Friend is capable of playing the full 80 minutes and may do so more often with the reduced number of interchanges this season, although the Roosters' recruitment of livewire Jayden Nikorima suggests coach Trent Robinson may again opt for an impact dummy-half off the bench.
Value buy
Blake Ferguson: Ferguson had some impressive performances last season – mixed with some quiet games and a long stretch on the sidelines – but could thrive in 2016 if he takes on Tuivasa-Sheck's old fullback role as expected. Ferguson's strong running game is tailor-made for NRL Fantasy success if given the room to move at fullback, and with a $308,000 price tag he comes much cheaper than the elite Fantasy fullbacks.
Wild card
Joe Burgess: The former Wigan winger is expected to slot into a reshuffled Roosters backline this year, with the Tricolours hopeful the England young gun can continue his superb try-scoring record. Burgess (no relation to Sam, George, Tom and Luke) is quick, but it remains to be seen if he's the kind of tackle-breaking winger who can excel in NRL Fantasy and with a mid-range $268,000 price tag he's a bit of a risk at the start of the season.
Cash cow
Jackson Hastings: Last year Hastings averaged just 16.7 a game, and this season he's priced accordingly at just $149,000. But his role at the Roosters in 2016 will be radically different, having been handed James Maloney's old five-eighth spot after playing the bulk of 2015 off the bench. Last year he averaged a solid 35 points a game when playing the full 80 minutes – if he can match those scores (or improve on them) he's guaranteed to grow in price in the early rounds of the new season.
2016 NRL Fantasy prices
Jake Friend ($465,000)
Boyd Cordner ($421,000)
Aidan Guerra ($415,000)
Mitchell Pearce ($403,000)
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ($398,000)
Sio Siua Taukeiaho ($378,000)
Dylan Napa ($350,000)
Mitchell Aubusson ($336,000)
Shaun Kenny-Dowall ($315,000)
Isaac Liu ($315,000)
Blake Ferguson ($308,000)
Sam Moa ($304,000)
Daniel Tupou ($284,000)
Kane Evans ($273,000)
Joe Burgess ($268,000)
Brendan Elliot ($244,000)
Ian Henderson ($223,000)
Dale Copley ($171,000)
Jackson Hastings ($149,000)
Lagi Setu ($134,000)
Abraham Papalii ($130,000)
Ryan Matterson ($130,000)
Latrell Mitchell ($130,000)
Jayden Nikorima ($130,000)
