LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Fantasy Round 7 Q&A addresses the dilemma of whether to drop struggling high-value players such as Kalyn Ponga and J'maine Hopgood, despite their recent poor performances.
The article from nrl.com.au discusses the potential of David Fifita as a bargain buy at under $700k and highlights the rising popularity of Dragons EDG Dylan Egan among fantasy teams.
J'maine Hopgood's Fantasy outlook has been negatively impacted by his move to part-time hooker in recent weeks, resulting in consecutive scores below 40.
While he has been named at lock, he actually starts games at hooker, leading to a decrease in minutes and a decline in defensive output.
For example, he made 36 tackles last week compared to just 26 the week before, a significant drop from his average of 43.5 tackles in the first four rounds.
Additionally, his usual contribution in offloads, which is crucial for his Fantasy scores, has been absent in the past two weeks.
Despite Hopgood's recent struggles, there is uncertainty surrounding whether to drop him from Fantasy teams due to the potential for improvement.
Owners must carefully weigh the risks and rewards of keeping him versus finding a replacement, especially with other enticing options like David Fifita available at a lower price.
As for Kalyn Ponga, his disappointing performances raise doubts about his value, but his talent and potential for a rebound make the decision to punt him a challenging one.
In the case of Dylan Egan, his impressive form and growing popularity among fantasy teams suggest that he could be a valuable addition for those seeking a reliable option in the coming rounds.