AFL Cats vs Tigers Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2025
Last updated: Jul 3, 2025, 2:33PM | Published: Jul 2, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Cats vs Tigers Round 17 DFS contest starts at 4:15pm AEST on July 5, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each 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 strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 Geelong Cats vs Richmond match-up to help you make the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $18,310 | 111.8 | 6.1 |
| Value | Tyler Sonsie (RICH, MID/FWD) | $6,840 | 55.1 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Sam Banks (RICH, DEF) | $12,680 | 69.1 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Sims (RICH, FWD/RK) | $6,000 | 47.1 | 7.9 |
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 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 | Tom Stewart (GEEL) | $13,810 | 85.4 | 6.2 |
| Value | Tom Brown (RICH) | $7,690 | 55.7 | 7.2 |
| Fade | Sam Banks (RICH) | $12,680 | 69.1 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Blight (RICH) | $8,390 | 58.4 | 7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $18,310 | 111.8 | 6.1 |
| Value | Tyler Sonsie (RICH) | $6,840 | 55.1 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Dion Prestia (RICH) | $13,090 | 77.8 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Kamdyn McIntosh (RICH) | $8,240 | 64.4 | 7.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gryan Miers (GEEL) | $14,690 | 93.1 | 6.3 |
| Value | Tyler Sonsie (RICH) | $6,840 | 55.1 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Jeremy Cameron (GEEL) | $13,240 | 79.6 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Sims (RICH) | $6,000 | 47.1 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Toby Nankervis (RICH) | $13,620 | 91.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Thomas Sims (RICH) | $6,000 | 47.1 | 7.9 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Cats vs Tigers Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like Tyler Sonsie. 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 Thomas Sims.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sam Banks 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 Cats vs Tigers slate closes at 4:15pm 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 Cats vs Tigers Round 17 slate. 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 Tigers 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 Geelong Cats vs Richmond 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.
