AFL Crows vs Magpies Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 20, 2026
Last updated: Jul 23, 2026, 10:00AM | Published: Jul 22, 2026, 9:51AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Crows vs Magpies Round 20 DFS contest starts at 7:30pm AEST on July 23, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 and improve your Supercoach team for Round 20.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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've reviewed players from each team in the Adelaide Crows vs Collingwood match-up to help you make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $17,150 | 118 | 6.9 |
| Value | Scott Pendlebury (COLL, MID) | $10,950 | 82.3 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL, DEF) | $10,660 | 63.5 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Finnbar Maley (ADEL, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 45.2 | 7.5 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | Josh Daicos (COLL) | $14,080 | 100 | 7.1 |
| Value | Josh Daicos (COLL) | $14,080 | 100 | 7.1 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL) | $10,660 | 63.5 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Max Michalanney (ADEL) | $8,920 | 62 | 7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $17,150 | 118 | 6.9 |
| Value | Scott Pendlebury (COLL) | $10,950 | 82.3 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Edward Allan (COLL) | $10,320 | 64.4 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Steele Sidebottom (COLL) | $9,220 | 67.2 | 7.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Izak Rankine (ADEL) | $14,370 | 93.6 | 6.5 |
| Value | Finnbar Maley (ADEL) | $6,000 | 45.2 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Ben Keays (ADEL) | $10,590 | 69.4 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Charlie West (COLL) | $6,000 | 44.7 | 7.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Darcy Cameron (COLL) | $13,190 | 90.1 | 6.8 |
| Value | Finnbar Maley (ADEL) | $6,000 | 45.2 | 7.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Crows vs Magpies Round 20 teams, consider starting with a value player like Scott Pendlebury. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nick Daicos is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Finnbar Maley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Hugo Hall-Kahan is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Crows vs Magpies slate closes at 7:30pm AEST on Thursday. 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 Magpies Round 20 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 Magpies 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 Collingwood 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.
