AFL Cats vs Blues Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 4, 2026, 9:40AM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:12AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Cats vs Blues Semi-Finals, 2026 DFS contest begins at 7:41pm AEST on September 4, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each 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, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate 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 Geelong Cats vs Carlton match-up to help you make the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,760 | 121.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Talor Byrne (CARL, FWD) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL, MID/FWD) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Oliver Wiltshire (GEEL, FWD) | $6,000 | 47.2 | 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 | Max Holmes (GEEL) | $14,830 | 103.6 | 7 |
| Value | Jack Henry (GEEL) | $6,620 | 51 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Oliver Florent (CARL) | $12,960 | 84.7 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Mark O'Connor (GEEL) | $7,900 | 59.6 | 7.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,760 | 121.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Oliver Hollands (CARL) | $9,930 | 74.1 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Tom Atkins (GEEL) | $9,740 | 72.4 | 7.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shaun Mannagh (GEEL) | $11,990 | 80.7 | 6.7 |
| Value | Talor Byrne (CARL) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Oliver Wiltshire (GEEL) | $6,000 | 47.2 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marc Pittonet (CARL) | $11,170 | 71 | 6.4 |
| Value | Harry McKay (CARL) | $9,050 | 70.3 | 7.8 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Cats vs Blues Semi-Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Talor Byrne. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bailey Smith 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 Oliver Wiltshire.
On the other hand, according to our model, Patrick Dangerfield is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Cats vs Blues slate closes at 7:41pm 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 Cats vs Blues Semi-Finals contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Cats vs Blues 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.
