Crucial Fantasy calls to make: Round 22

This week we discuss whether you should prioritise trading in Latrell Mitchell or Nathan Cleary ahead of Round 22, with both players likely to be high on the wishlist of many owners. 

We also examine the best cash-down options available right now who can still contribute to your team. 

Latrell or Cleary this week? 

Now that they are both fit again, there's a good chance you want Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell in your final squad.

Unless you are flush with cash – or considering dumping another elite player in exchange – you probably aren't going to be able to bring them both in this week, and the good news is you shouldn't anyway. 

Thanks to Cleary only hitting 51 in his return from a hamstring layoff last week, his break even ahead of facing the Sharks in Round 22 is 106. That means he is very likely to be available at under $900k next week, making him a stay away unless you are super desperate for a reliable HLF in the absence of Shaun Johnson, who has a bye. 

Mitchell too has a high break even of 87 ahead of playing his first game since Round 12, but in his case it's reachable due to him taking on the bottom-placed Wests Tigers, who give up almost 27 points per game on average this year. 

It's easy to see Mitchell scoring well and at least getting close to that break even, so if you have the money available it's worth jumping on him now and taking the possible points haul, with his price unlikely to drop much heading into next week.

Best cash down options

With plenty of Fantasy owners eyeing up big-money acquisitions this week, finding cheap trade ins who can still have a positive impact on your team is key.

If you have your squad pretty well set and possess plenty of positional cover, then a red dot (a player who doesn't make their side's 17 each week) isn't the worst thing at this point of the year, and in fact can be useful to help you loop. For most owners however, someone who can come in and fill a gap without being a dead weight on your scoring 17 is preferable.

In the EDG position there are a couple of good options, with Dan Russell ($265k) appearing to have locked down a spot at the Dragons and coming off an 80-minute showing which saw him score 40 points. A 4-6 week injury for Jeremiah Nanai at the Cowboys means Kulikefu Finefeuiaki ($268k) is also a solid option, although his floor is definitely lower than Russell's right now, with four of his nine appearances ending in scores under 20. 

At the Sea Eagles Josh Schuster is available at $373k and covers both EDG and HLF. The upside with him is Manly play the competition's three worst teams – the Bulldogs, Dragons and Wests Tigers – on the run home, giving him plenty of potential to rack up dynamic attacking stats. The downside is he's inconsistent and his quiet games tend to end in scores below 20.

With Shaun Lane gone for the rest of the regular season due to an elbow injury, Andrew Davey looks set to have a big-minute starting role for the run home. Davey averages 40.3 in the six games this year in which he's played more than 50 minutes, which should be the case each week from here until the club's Round 27 bye.