AFL Blues vs Saints Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2026
Last updated: May 2, 2026, 9:34AM | Published: Apr 29, 2026, 9:56AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Blues vs Saints Round 8 DFS contest starts at 7:36pm AEST on May 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 8.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the latest AFL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more AFL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed players from each team in the Carlton vs St Kilda match-up to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK, MID) | $16,710 | 109.6 | 6.6 |
| Value | Mattaes Phillipou (STK, MID/FWD) | $8,210 | 70.2 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Hugo Garcia (STK, MID) | $13,300 | 80.5 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Harry McKay (CARL, FWD) | $9,020 | 70.7 | 7.8 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options refer to the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
DEF (Defender)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jack Sinclair (STK) | $16,260 | 107.7 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jacob Weitering (CARL) | $8,180 | 61.1 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Nick Haynes (CARL) | $10,730 | 69.8 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Liam Stocker (STK) | $6,590 | 48.5 | 7.4 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK) | $16,710 | 109.6 | 6.6 |
| Value | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $8,210 | 70.2 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Hugo Garcia (STK) | $13,300 | 80.5 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Liam Henry (STK) | $7,320 | 52.7 | 7.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jagga Smith (CARL) | $10,850 | 76.7 | 7.1 |
| Value | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $8,210 | 70.2 | 8.5 |
| Cheapie | Harry McKay (CARL) | $9,020 | 70.7 | 7.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marc Pittonet (CARL) | $11,520 | 79.8 | 6.9 |
| Value | Tom De Koning (STK) | $10,170 | 75.4 | 7.4 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Blues vs Saints Round 8 teams, consider starting with a value player like Mattaes Phillipou. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Harry McKay.
On the other hand, according to our model, Hugo Garcia is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Blues vs Saints slate closes at 7:36pm AEST on Saturday. ENTER NOW!
As with all AFL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven AFL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the AFL Blues vs Saints Round 8 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Blues vs Saints line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Carlton vs St Kilda prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
