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NRL Fantasy player watch: James Tedesco

NRL Fantasy 2018

James Tedesco, WFB, $761,000

Long-time Fantasy stud James Tedesco was the highest averaging winger-fullback in Fantasy in 2017 and consequently starts this year as the priciest option at the back.

Scoring potential: 5/5

Tedesco is a tackle-busting phenomenon; his 172 tackle busts in 2017 at just over eight per game were the best in the NRL and added up to a 24-point head-start each game. He racks up the metres (175 per week in 2017) and you'd have to think his shift from Concord to a slick Roosters team will help him easily improve on his five tries, 10 line break assists and eight try assists from last year.

Reliability: 4/5

Coaches who are prepared to splash out three quarters of a million of their cap on a fullback can at least rest easy in the knowledge that the once injury-prone custodian has hardly missed a game for Wests Tigers in the past three seasons (outside a handful of separate minor niggles in 2016). Tedesco likely misses round 13 due to Origin and may earn an additional rest pre- or post-Origin but otherwise his spot in the Roosters No.1 jersey is as safe as houses.

Value: 3/5

As mentioned above, there's every chance his move to an attacking Roosters team playing alongside the likes of Cooper Cronk and Luke Keary and a star-studded forward pack could see Tedesco's tries and assists skyrocket which would boost his already-lofty average of 52 potentially towards the 60-mark – meaning the priciest WFB in the game could increase further in value too.

Acknowledgement of Country

Sydney Roosters respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.