AFL Bombers vs Suns Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2025
Last updated: Jul 4, 2025, 3:33AM | Published: Jul 2, 2025, 9:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Bombers vs Suns Round 17 DFS contest starts at 12:35pm AEST on July 5, 2025, 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 a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 17.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 Essendon vs Gold Coast SUNS match-up to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nic Martin (ESS, DEF/MID) | $15,190 | 102.7 | 6.8 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC, FWD/RK) | $6,000 | 53.6 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Sam Flanders (GC, MID/FWD) | $13,090 | 75.2 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Jed Walter (GC, FWD) | $6,000 | 48.5 | 8.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're 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 | Nic Martin (ESS) | $15,190 | 102.7 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jordan Ridley (ESS) | $10,420 | 80.2 | 7.7 |
| Fade | John Noble (GC) | $14,000 | 81.7 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Mac Andrew (GC) | $7,110 | 52.7 | 7.4 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nic Martin (ESS) | $15,190 | 102.7 | 6.8 |
| Value | Luamon Lual (ESS) | $6,000 | 45.9 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Sam Flanders (GC) | $13,090 | 75.2 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Connor Budarick (GC) | $6,950 | 50.6 | 7.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sam Flanders (GC) | $13,090 | 75.2 | 5.7 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 53.6 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Bailey Humphrey (GC) | $10,720 | 66.7 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Jed Walter (GC) | $6,000 | 48.5 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Wright (ESS) | $10,870 | 73.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 53.6 | 8.9 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Bombers vs Suns Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like Ethan Read. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nic Martin is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Jed Walter.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sam Flanders is one of the lowest value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Bombers vs Suns slate closes at 12:35pm 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 Bombers vs Suns Round 17 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 Bombers vs Suns 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 Essendon vs Gold Coast SUNS 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.
