AFL Dockers vs Lions Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2025
Last updated: Aug 15, 2025, 10:33AM | Published: Aug 13, 2025, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Dockers vs Lions Round 23 DFS contest begins at 8:35pm AEST on August 15, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 23.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 have reviewed players from each team in the Fremantle vs Brisbane Lions match-up to help you make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Dunkley (BL, MID) | $16,020 | 107.4 | 6.7 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL, FWD/RK) | $6,000 | 60 | 10 |
| Fade | Dayne Zorko (BL, DEF) | $14,950 | 89.5 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Sam Marshall (BL, MID) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $14,950 | 89.5 | 6 |
| Value | Brandon Starcevich (BL) | $6,000 | 47.5 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Jordan Clark (FRE) | $13,970 | 84.8 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Alex Pearce (FRE) | $6,000 | 46.9 | 7.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Dunkley (BL) | $16,020 | 107.4 | 6.7 |
| Value | Sam Marshall (BL) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Hugh McCluggage (BL) | $15,500 | 98.4 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Bruce Reville (BL) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zac Bailey (BL) | $12,310 | 80.6 | 6.5 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL) | $6,000 | 60 | 10 |
| Fade | Shai Bolton (FRE) | $10,840 | 70.5 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Jye Amiss (FRE) | $6,000 | 46.9 | 7.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luke Jackson (FRE) | $14,790 | 97.1 | 6.6 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL) | $6,000 | 60 | 10 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Dockers vs Lions Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Sam Day. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Josh Dunkley 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 Sam Marshall.
On the other hand, according to our model, Dayne Zorko is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Dockers vs Lions slate closes at 8:35pm AEST on Friday. 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 Dockers vs Lions Round 23 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Dockers vs Lions 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 Fremantle vs Brisbane Lions 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.
