NRL Fantasy winners & losers: Round 8

Another star cracks the ton, injuries hit big names and cash cows and try-scoring hookers cash in on another bumper round of NRL Fantasy.

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Winners

His team may have been beaten by Newcastle but Manly prop Martin Taupau produced an epic performance up front for a whopping 104 Fantasy points, with 43 tackles, 247 run metres and a massive 15 tackle busts allowing him to join Moses Mbye in the hundred club in 2018.

Taupau's in 10,000 teams already but as a dual position forward with an average score of 54 who will play in the first major bye week in round 13, expect him to be signed up by a few more teams in the next few days.

The similarly popular Josh Addo-Carr produced his best game of the season for 74 points in Melbourne's romp over the Warriors – Addo-Carr has now scored two tries in each of his last three games, averaging 61 Fantasy points in that time.

Addo-Carr's Storm teammate Christian Welch was round 8's surprise packet, starting at lock for the first time of the season and scoring 79 in 74 minutes, including a try. Welch's game time benefited from the absence of injured rep prop Jesse Bromwich and now Tim Glasby will miss a month with a broken thumb, although first-choice lock Dale Finucane could return from injury this week.

Meanwhile it was a big week for Titans lock Jai Arrow, who overcame another bout of back spasms to make 73, cash cow Raiders hooker Siliva Havili (72, +$57,000), Titans cash cow Mitch Rein (70, +$84,000), Wests Tigers centre Esan Marsters (57), Roosters star James Tedesco (63) and Fantasy legend Cameron Smith – who is back to his usual self with 66 on the weekend and an average of 66 over the past month.

New cash cows Scott Sorensen (32, +$62,000) and Jayden Su'A (41, +$43,000) both had solid returns, while others weren't so lucky...

Losers

Another week, another batch of injuries, with Manly being hit with more bad news in the form of a season-ending ACL injury to Lachlan Croker and a broken hand to second-rower and Fantasy cash cow Jack Gosiewski. Croker was already a sell and definitely is now for those who have him, while Gosiewski is a potential hold considering he still has money to make if you can afford to leave him outside your top 17.

Brisbane have injury headaches themselves with Josh McGuire (17) suffering an ankle injury against the Rabbitohs while filling in at hooker, with Wayne Bennett to search for a third-string No.9 this week. It could uncover a new Fantasy cheapie while also cementing the minutes of underpriced forwards Su'A and Tevita Pangai jnr (44 this week) in the short term.

Rabbitohs winger Richie Kennar (14) is a definite sell after copping an ankle injury, Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards (17) has been impressive this season but suffered a shoulder injury on Friday, while Josh Dugan (30) had appeared to be a good Fantasy pick-up in the centres after seemingly securing the fullback spot at Cronulla only to suffer yet another injury on Saturday night – although he's still a chance of being named this week.

NRL Fantasy Team of the Week
1. James Tedesco (63)
2. Josh Addo-Carr (74)
3. Esan Marsters (64)
4. Tyrone Peachey (56)
5. Corey Oate (73)
6. Corey Norman (64)
7. Ben Hunt (68)
8. Martin Taupau (104)
9. Siliva Havili (72)
10. Herman Ese'ese (66)
11. Christian Welch (79)
12. Manu Ma'u (74)
13. Jai Arrow (73)

14. Mitch Rein (70)
15. Cameron Smith (66)
16. Cameron McInnes (65)
17. Matthew Eisenhuth (65)