AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 2, 2026, 6:56PM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:13AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Semi-Finals, 2026 DFS contest commences at 7:35pm AEST on September 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate 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.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs match-up to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $16,460 | 113.2 | 6.9 |
| Value | Chayce Jones (ADEL, DEF) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL, RK/FWD) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Charlie Edwards (ADEL, MID) | $6,090 | 51.9 | 8.5 |
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 | Bailey Dale (WB) | $14,500 | 100.4 | 6.9 |
| Value | Chayce Jones (ADEL) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL) | $10,310 | 68.6 | 6.7 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Carmichael (WB) | $6,000 | 48.9 | 8.2 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $16,460 | 113.2 | 6.9 |
| Value | Charlie Edwards (ADEL) | $6,090 | 51.9 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Izak Rankine (ADEL) | $16,340 | 103.7 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Carmichael (WB) | $6,000 | 48.9 | 8.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sam Darcy (WB) | $10,710 | 78.8 | 7.4 |
| Value | Sid Draper (ADEL) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Louis Emmett (WB) | $6,000 | 46.8 | 7.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tim English (WB) | $12,870 | 92.4 | 7.2 |
| Value | Lachlan Smith (WB) | $6,000 | 49.3 | 8.2 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Semi-Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Chayce Jones. 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 Charlie Edwards.
On the other hand, according to our model, Riley Thilthorpe 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 Bulldogs slate closes at 7:35pm 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 Crows vs Bulldogs 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 Crows vs Bulldogs 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.
