AFL Demons vs Eagles Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2025
Last updated: Aug 2, 2025, 2:32AM | Published: Jul 30, 2025, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Demons vs Eagles Round 21 DFS contest begins at 1:20pm AEST on August 2, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 21.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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 Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles match-up to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $17,420 | 108 | 6.2 |
| Value | Tom Gross (WCE, MID) | $6,000 | 55.4 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Christian Petracca (MELB, MID) | $15,190 | 87.2 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Jobe Shanahan (WCE, FWD) | $6,000 | 51.9 | 8.6 |
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 | Christian Salem (MELB) | $14,380 | 86.5 | 6 |
| Value | Tyrell Dewar (WCE) | $8,790 | 61.9 | 7 |
| Fade | Liam Duggan (WCE) | $12,890 | 77.9 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Rhett Bazzo (WCE) | $6,000 | 41.6 | 6.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jack Viney (MELB) | $14,250 | 89.6 | 6.3 |
| Value | Tom Gross (WCE) | $6,000 | 55.4 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Christian Petracca (MELB) | $15,190 | 87.2 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Jai Culley (MELB) | $6,000 | 50 | 8.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,150 | 85.6 | 6 |
| Value | Jobe Shanahan (WCE) | $6,000 | 51.9 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Bayley Fritsch (MELB) | $10,910 | 65.9 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Owies (WCE) | $6,580 | 53.3 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,420 | 108 | 6.2 |
| Value | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $7,990 | 60.3 | 7.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Demons vs Eagles Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Tom Gross. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jobe Shanahan.
On the other hand, according to our model, Christian Petracca is one of the lowest 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 Demons vs Eagles slate closes at 1:20pm 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 Demons vs Eagles Round 21 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 Demons vs Eagles 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 Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles 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.
