Fantasy Super Rugby: Round Nine Preview

Colin Slade is one of Dr Stats' picks to break out with a big performance this weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Even though we're eight rounds into the season and your player roster may be relatively settled, it's important to keep your eyes open for players on the verge of a breakout game.

Last round's team of the week featured several players that seemingly came out of nowhere to post leading scores in their positions. If we look deeper there were signs that these breakouts were on the cusp of happening.

Firstly to the backline, Nehe Milner-Skudder has the most points per minute of any fullback in our game and was averaging 37 points per game before scoring 66 points against the Stormers.

Frank Halai was averaging over 26 points per round and was trending upwards before his breakout 52-point haul over the weekend.

Christian Lealiifano has been a mini-Patrick Lambie all season long - he's been consistently scoring around the 30-point mark and so it was inevitable that he'd come up with a big game at some point this season.

Andrew Ellis was highlighted in my column last week as being the most consistent halfback in our game so far this season. If that consistency is then boosted by the bonus that is a try scored, then all of a sudden their value goes through the roof, as it did in Round 8.

Two forwards are also worth highlighting from our team of the week. James Broadhurst has been the form second rower in our game over his past four appearances while Armand van der Merwe is averaging the most points-per-minute of any prop that's scored more than 50 points this season.

So what other players have the potential to break out this weekend? Below are three players that are trending upwards in our game.

Colin Slade, FFE, Crusaders, $131,000
With Dan Carter once again out of the starting lineup, there will be plenty of minutes for Slade who topped 50 points the last time he faced the Highlanders in the number 10 shirt.

Elliot Dixon, BRF, Highlanders, $96,200
Dixon has consistently posted scores around the 20-point mark and is averaging close to 30 over his past three games.

Grant Hattingh, 2RF, Bulls, $66,900
With Victor Matfield ruled out for the next three weeks at least, Hattingh is assured of playing time and has responded well when he's had chances previously this season.

In significant team news so far this week; as previously mentioned, Matfield will miss three weeks of rugby after undergoing knee surgery, fellow Springbok Patrick Lambie will miss six weeks with injury while Jean Deysel has been suspended for seven weeks for his knee to the head of Matt Todd.

Get the latest fantasy advice from Dr Stats Thursdays at 6.25pm on Radio Sport with D'Arcy Waldegrave.

On the bench:
Victor Matfield, Bulls (out 3 weeks)
Patrick Lambie, Sharks (out 6 weeks)
Jean Deysel, Sharks (suspended 7 weeks)
Wyatt Crockett, Crusaders (rested)
Adriaan Strauss, Bulls (rested)
James O'Connor, Reds (out 1-2 weeks)
Duane Vermeulen, Stormers (rested 2 weeks)
Luke Romano, Crusaders (rested)
Keven Mealamu, Blues (benched)
Quade Cooper, Reds (out 8 weeks)
SP Marais, Sharks (rested)
JP Pietersen, Sharks (rested)
Tendai Mtawarira, Sharks (rested)
Jannie du Plessis, Sharks (rested)
Kyle Cooper, Sharks (out indefinitely)
James Horwill, Reds (suspended 1 week)
Jake Schatz, Reds (out 4-6 weeks)
Nepo Laulala, Crusaders (benched)
Hayden Triggs, Blues (benched)
Steven Luatua, Blues (benched)
Tevita Li, Blues (dropped)
James Hanson, Reds (benched)
Siya Kolisi, Stormers (benched)
Vincent Koch, Stormers (benched)
Hanro Liebenberg, Bulls (benched)
Danie Minnie, Cheetahs (benched)
Tian Meyer, Cheetahs (benched)
Anthony Volmink, Lions (dropped)
Ross Cronje, Lions (dropped)
Derick Minie, Lions (benched)
Ruan Dreyer, Lions (benched)
Marcel Brache, Force (benched)

Top pick:
Nemani Nadolo, Crusaders

Cheap pickups:
Grant Hattingh, Bulls
Elliot Dixon, Highlanders
George Moala, Blues
Adam Coleman, Force
Lima Sopoaga, Highlanders