AFL Bulldogs vs Magpies Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Finals Week 1, 2026
Last updated: Aug 28, 2026, 9:34AM | Published: Aug 26, 2026, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Bulldogs vs Magpies Finals Week 1, 2026 DFS contest starts at 7:40pm AEST on August 28, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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've reviewed players from each team in the Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood match-up to help you make the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $17,450 | 117.6 | 6.7 |
| Value | Jack Crisp (COLL, MID) | $9,940 | 78 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Sam Swadling (COLL, DEF/MID) | $12,180 | 61.3 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Connor Budarick (WB, DEF) | $8,860 | 69.6 | 7.9 |
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 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 highlight 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 | Bailey Dale (WB) | $15,300 | 101.3 | 6.6 |
| Value | Connor Budarick (WB) | $8,860 | 69.6 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Sam Swadling (COLL) | $12,180 | 61.3 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Jeremy Howe (COLL) | $9,020 | 70.5 | 7.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $17,450 | 117.6 | 6.7 |
| Value | Jack Crisp (COLL) | $9,940 | 78 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Sam Swadling (COLL) | $12,180 | 61.3 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Steele Sidebottom (COLL) | $8,490 | 63.9 | 7.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lachie Schultz (COLL) | $9,770 | 74.6 | 7.6 |
| Value | Tim Membrey (COLL) | $8,040 | 62.3 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Joel Freijah (WB) | $11,860 | 74 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Josh Dolan (WB) | $6,000 | 46.5 | 7.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Darcy Cameron (COLL) | $14,520 | 96.8 | 6.7 |
| Value | Daniel McStay (COLL) | $9,020 | 67.5 | 7.5 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Bulldogs vs Magpies Finals Week 1, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jack Crisp. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nick Daicos is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Connor Budarick.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sam Swadling is one of the worst 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 Bulldogs vs Magpies slate closes at 7:40pm AEST on Friday. 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 Bulldogs vs Magpies Finals Week 1 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Bulldogs vs Magpies line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
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.
