With a significant portion of all Fantasy players needing to trade Nathan Cleary out this week, we run the rule over the best HLF alternatives.
We're also discussing which unavailable Fantasy guns you should be holding and which ones are sells, along with identifying a couple of astute pickups in Draft leagues.
Crucial Fantasy calls to make: Round 15
Who should we bring in for Cleary?
Around a third of all Fantasy teams will need to trade Nathan Cleary out this week, but from a HLF pool stacked with talent, who should we be bringing in?
In terms of like-for-like scoring, the obvious answer is Nicho Hynes ($988k), who this week has also dropped to be $5k cheaper than Cleary, making him a single-trade prospect. But he's almost certain to miss three, and possibly four depending on his ability to back up in Round 20, games in the next six weeks. That's less of a big deal if you play in head-to-head leagues with byes in Round 16 and 19, but a huge issue for overall players.
For those overall players, Mitch Moses ($826k) has the best schedule among elite HLF options, with his next bye coming in Round 18 meaning he plays in the all-important Rounds 16 and 19.
Head-to-head players with a bye in Round 16 though might prefer Shaun Johnson, who at $817k is the second cheapest HLF who averages 60+, with his bye coming in that week when many H2H leagues won't be playing anyway.
Johnson was red hot against the Dolphins
Daly Cherry-Evans is the cheapest at $811k but will play Origin. There are concerns around his ability to post elite scores when Josh Schuster is in the team too, given he has posted 30s in two of the four games they've played together this season.
What to do with the popular absentees
This week has been easily the worst in terms of injuries and suspensions for Fantasy-relevant players, and while some like Nathan Cleary and Jai Arrow are obvious sells due to their expected time out, others present more of a dilemma.
David Fifita was a shock omission from the Titans team to play the Wests Tigers as a precaution due to delayed concussion symptoms, but is a definite hold. While he will miss Round 16 and 19 through Origin, the Titans have a bye in Round 16 anyway, and from there he is good chance of playing all of the remaining regular season games. Pending further updates that suggest he might miss more than one week, Jack de Belin (concussion) is also a hold.
Joseph Suaali'i (suspension) is probably worth keeping as well, given he provides you cover at both WFB and CTR and is part of a Roosters side showing hints of a return to the type of form expected of them in 2023.
Suaalii crosses over
On the other hand, Latrell Mitchell (calf) and Cameron Murray (groin) are sells.
Even though their injuries aren't thought to be long term, Origin and a poorly placed bye mean Mitchell and Murray will, at most, be available for your Fantasy side in just three of the next six weeks.
There are too many good MID options around to bother carrying Murray, while Latrell is simply worth too much to be sitting in your reserves that often in a crucial period.
Fantasy draft free agent of the week
Injuries and suspension for key Dolphins forwards mean Ray Stone is one of their few remaining recognised middles, and for the next few weeks at least should have a big-minute, big-scoring role. The other big one to consider is Jack Cogger, who has won the race to replace Nathan Cleary and should have a starting role for the next month at least. While he's not a renowned Fantasy scorer, that Penrith team has so much class that try assists, line breaks assists and other dynamic stats are a near certainty.
