AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 5, 2026, 8:12AM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:13AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Semi-Finals, 2026 DFS contest starts at 7:35pm AEST on September 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers 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 assemble 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 come up with some of the best 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs match-up to help you make 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 | Connor Budarick (WB, DEF) | $8,280 | 66.3 | 8 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL, FWD/RK) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Michael Sellwood (WB, DEF) | $6,660 | 53.3 | 8 |
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 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) | $14,500 | 100.4 | 6.9 |
| Value | Connor Budarick (WB) | $8,280 | 66.3 | 8 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL) | $10,310 | 68.6 | 6.7 |
| Cheapie | Michael Sellwood (WB) | $6,660 | 53.3 | 8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $16,460 | 113.2 | 6.9 |
| Value | Jake Soligo (ADEL) | $9,240 | 72.6 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Izak Rankine (ADEL) | $16,340 | 103.7 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Luke Nankervis (ADEL) | $7,990 | 61.7 | 7.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alex Neal-Bullen (ADEL) | $9,800 | 72.1 | 7.4 |
| Value | Rory Lobb (WB) | $8,050 | 62.5 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Josh Dolan (WB) | $6,000 | 45.6 | 7.6 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tim English (WB) | $12,870 | 92.4 | 7.2 |
| Value | Rory Lobb (WB) | $8,050 | 62.5 | 7.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Crows vs Bulldogs Semi-Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Connor Budarick. 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 Michael Sellwood.
On the other hand, according to our model, Riley Thilthorpe is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building 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 slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
