With plenty of ins and outs ahead of Round 6, there is both promising and concerning news to consider on the Fantasy front.
From the (likely) demise of J'maine Hopgood's big scores to good news for Zac Hosking and new roles for a couple of cheapies, here's what you need to know for the round ahead.
NRL Fantasy teams analysis: Round 6
Storm v Roosters, Thursday at AAMI Park
Storm: The return of Jahrome Hughes from suspension means Jonah Pezet is out of the 17, after increasing $100k in value through three games. Josh King ($698k) remains the best value for money MID around right now. EDG Tom Eisenhuth ($409k) was a points per minute machine last week, hitting 45 in a 36-minute stint.
Roosters: Joey Manu's move to fullback to cover James Tedesco (concussion) is huge news, with his Fantasy scores traditionally taking a big leap when he plays at the back. Last year in his Round 13 game in the No.1 jersey Manu clocked up 87 points, but he may struggle to replicate that against a Storm side who seemed to get it together defensively last week. Sam Walker remains great value at $691k and is a top-five HLF on form.
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Bulldogs v Rabbitohs, Friday at Accor Stadium
Bulldogs: Prolific cash cow Jacob Preston has been named after suffering a gruesome hand injury last week. The EDG has been a money-making machine so far in 2023 and has plenty more rises to come with a break even of -13. Max King (eye) has been named to start and averages 52.6 points per game. CTR Paul Alamoti is in half of all Fantasy teams and continues to make some nice cash after a 47 in Round 5.
Rabbitohs: After making a handy $211k over five games, the dream run for Michael Chee-Kam owners looks to be over with the versatile forward out of the 17. Fullback Latrell Mitchell is a good chance of dropping in value again this week and could be a handy pickup soon, at a fraction of the price you would have paid pre-season.
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Cowboys v Dolphins, Friday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Cowboys: Scott Drinkwater returns from suspension at fullback, but promising cash cow Tom Chester is set to remain in the 17 via the bench. He has already made $121k and with a break even of -6 will go up again this week. Reece Robson is the second best HOK in Fantasy this year and at $802k still comes much cheaper than Harry Grant or Damien Cook. Reuben Cotter returns from injury at prop, having averaged 46.3 so far this year.
Dolphins: Cheapie Kodi Nikorima (HLF, $254k) gets the nod to replace Anthony Milford (hamstring) in the halves. Jamayne Isaako ($556k) busted out his second 70+ score of the year with an 80 last week, and is a high ceiling WFB owned by just 6.5 percent of teams right now. Ray Stone hasn't been the money-maker owners had hoped, and with a season average of 21.3 points he can moved on from in the next two weeks.
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Panthers v Sea Eagles, Saturday at BlueBet Stadium
Panthers: Still no sign of Liam Martin or Luke Garner, which is huge news for Zac Hosking (EDG, $607k), whose starting job is safe as houses for at least another week. Nathan Cleary was brilliant last week on his way to a score of 80 and should be a popular captaincy choice again in Round 6. Lindsay Smith was massive in his 35 minutes in Round 5, racking up 52 points, and he is again set to come off the bench for Ivan Cleary's men.
Sea Eagles: With Ben Trbojevic out for six weeks with a hamstring injury, EDG Karl Lawton joins the bench. After playing 61 minutes in Lachlan Croker's absence back in Round 4, Lawton has a break even of -7 and is available at $290k. While his minutes will shrink significantly this week, he still stands to make a bit of cash over the next few rounds assuming he keeps that spot. Jason Saab is back from injury in place of Christian Tuipulotu (knee). Morgan Harper went off in his first NRL appearance of the year last week, scoring 61.
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Broncos v Raiders, Saturday at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: Prop Payne Haas is part of the top tier of MIDs in 2023 and hit 73 points last week. CTR/WFB Selwyn Cobbo ($504k) continues to bounce back from a slow start and had 41 last week. A reduction in minutes last week saw Patrick Carrigan register his worst score of the year with 35.
Raiders: Popular CTR option Harley Smith-Shields has been dropped in favour of Jarrod Croker, and now looks a sell after an underwhelming start to the season on the Fantasy front. Brad Schneider $540k gets a run at five-eighth with Jack Wighton still out suspended.
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Titans v Dragons, Sunday at Cbus Super Stadium
Titans: A couple of changes with Fantasy implications for Justin Holbrook's side. Jayden Campbell ($413k) is the fullback with AJ Brimson out and not expected back until Round 8-9 due to a hamstring injury. With no Kieran Foran (calf), Toby Sexton gets his first run in the NRL side for 2023 and should get a couple of weeks in the No.6 jersey. Popular WFB cash cow Alofiana Khan-Pereira is poised to have another big price rise, with a -18 break even heading into Sunday's clash.
Dragons: Ben Hunt ($634k) comes off a huge 72-point effort last week and will team up alongside Talatau Amone ($423k) again in the halves. After a scoring drop in Round 4, coinciding with a move to the bench, Jack Bird bounced back with a 54 last up and is named to start at lock. WFB Tyrell Sloan is starting to make some nice cash now and enters Round 6 at $403k with a 43.3 point average.
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Knights v Warriors, Sunday at McDonald Jones Stadium
Knights: Fantasy beast Greg Marzhew has retained his spot on the wing, despite the return of Hymel Hunt from injury. The powerful wing has averaged 73.5 points in his two games this year and is available at $628k. Leo Thompson has gone under the radar a bit so far, but has a last three-game average of 53 points and will again start at prop. After scoring 58 last week Jack Johns ($354k) has retained the starting lock spot, with Kurt Mann returning from injury via the bench at this stage.
Warriors: Those who held onto Tohu Harris after he withdrew from the squad last week will be pleased to see him named to start at lock, and he is considered a good chance of taking the field following the knee injury he suffered in Round 4. HLF/WFB Te Maire Martin ($385k) is back after a week out due to concussion.
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Wests Tigers v Eels, Monday at Accor Stadium
Wests Tigers: Plenty doing here, starting with Adam Doueihi ($647k) moving back to five-eighth which is good news for his Fantasy prospects. Doueihi's scores are traditionally lower at fullback, and those who have held onto him after three-straight scores under 40 can expect a bounce back this Monday. Charlie Staines moves to fullback, with CTR/WFB Asu Kepaoa on the wing. If you held onto Shawn Blore you were rewarded last week with a 61-point showing that leaves him on a break even of -12.
Eels: J'maine Hopgood's move to the bench is arguably the biggest Fantasy news of the week. The third most owned player in Fantasy, Hopgood has made $277k through the opening five games in which he's averaged 64.6 points. But he could be an immediate sell now depending on your MID/EDG depth, with a break even of 45 and a likely huge drop in scoring coming. Shaun Lane, who was huge in Fantasy last year, returns from a fractured jaw in the second row, with Ryan Matterson ($777k) moving to lock. Matt Doorey drops out of the 17 altogether and is a sell for those who still have him. Haze Dunster comes onto the wing for the suspended Bailey Simonsson.
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