AFL Demons vs Giants Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 12, 2026
Last updated: May 31, 2026, 4:40AM | Published: May 27, 2026, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Demons vs Giants Round 12 DFS contest commences at 3:15pm AEST on May 31, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 12.
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 Melbourne vs GWS GIANTS match-up to help you make the best selections on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $16,880 | 109.2 | 6.5 |
| Value | Sam Taylor (GWS, DEF) | $6,000 | 59.1 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Jake Bowey (MELB, DEF) | $13,750 | 85.6 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Toby McMullin (GWS, MID/FWD) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
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 are 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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $15,560 | 106.8 | 6.9 |
| Value | Sam Taylor (GWS) | $6,000 | 59.1 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Jake Bowey (MELB) | $13,750 | 85.6 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Harry Himmelberg (GWS) | $8,960 | 66 | 7.4 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Clayton Oliver (GWS) | $15,980 | 104.7 | 6.6 |
| Value | Toby McMullin (GWS) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Tom Sparrow (MELB) | $13,600 | 86.6 | 6.4 |
| Cheapie | Harvey Langford (MELB) | $9,410 | 65 | 6.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $12,630 | 94.4 | 7.5 |
| Value | Toby McMullin (GWS) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Toby Greene (GWS) | $12,490 | 84.5 | 6.8 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $7,040 | 55.4 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,880 | 109.2 | 6.5 |
| Value | Leek Aleer (GWS) | $7,060 | 50.7 | 7.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Demons vs Giants Round 12 teams, consider starting with a value player like Sam Taylor. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn 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 Toby McMullin.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jake Bowey 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 Demons vs Giants slate closes at 3:15pm AEST on Sunday. 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 Giants Round 12 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 Demons vs Giants 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 GWS GIANTS 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.
