AFL Crows vs Blues Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2025
Last updated: May 2, 2025, 2:33AM | Published: Apr 30, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Crows vs Blues Round 8 DFS contest begins at 4:15pm AEST on May 3, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 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've reviewed players from each team in the Adelaide Crows vs Carlton match-up to help you make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $16,140 | 108.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Brodie Smith (ADEL, DEF) | $9,050 | 68.2 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Elijah Hollands (CARL, MID/FWD) | $12,000 | 70.2 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Zac Taylor (ADEL, MID) | $7,280 | 54.6 | 7.5 |
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'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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | Rory Laird (ADEL) | $13,500 | 91.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Brodie Smith (ADEL) | $9,050 | 68.2 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Oliver Hollands (CARL) | $11,860 | 73 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Cumming (ADEL) | $9,250 | 64 | 6.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $16,140 | 108.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Zac Taylor (ADEL) | $7,280 | 54.6 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Elijah Hollands (CARL) | $12,000 | 70.2 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Curtin (ADEL) | $7,250 | 53.3 | 7.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Izak Rankine (ADEL) | $13,840 | 89.3 | 6.5 |
| Value | Daniel Curtin (ADEL) | $7,250 | 53.3 | 7.4 |
| Fade | Elijah Hollands (CARL) | $12,000 | 70.2 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Josh Rachele (ADEL) | $9,150 | 66.6 | 7.3 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tom De Koning (CARL) | $15,150 | 93.1 | 6.1 |
| Value | Reilly O'Brien (ADEL) | $13,090 | 90 | 6.9 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Crows vs Blues Round 8 teams, consider starting with a value player like Brodie Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jordan Dawson 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 Zac Taylor.
On the other hand, according to our model, Elijah Hollands is one of the lowest value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Crows vs Blues 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 Crows vs Blues Round 8 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 Crows vs Blues 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 Adelaide Crows vs Carlton 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.
