AFL Eagles vs Giants Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2025
Last updated: Jul 3, 2025, 2:33PM | Published: Jul 2, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Eagles vs Giants Round 17 DFS contest kicks off at 8:20pm AEST on July 4, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 17.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 West Coast Eagles vs GWS GIANTS match-up to help you find the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lachie Ash (GWS, DEF) | $16,940 | 101.4 | 6 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS, MID) | $6,000 | 58.5 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Tom McCarthy (WCE, DEF) | $13,690 | 63.3 | 4.6 |
| Cheapie | Jobe Shanahan (WCE, FWD) | $6,000 | 51.1 | 8.5 |
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 | Lachie Ash (GWS) | $16,940 | 101.4 | 6 |
| Value | Bo Allan (WCE) | $6,000 | 48.8 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Tom McCarthy (WCE) | $13,690 | 63.3 | 4.6 |
| Cheapie | Harry Edwards (WCE) | $6,000 | 43.6 | 7.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tom Green (GWS) | $16,630 | 97.9 | 5.9 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS) | $6,000 | 58.5 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Ryan Maric (WCE) | $11,630 | 65 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Toby Bedford (GWS) | $8,180 | 63.5 | 7.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Toby Greene (GWS) | $13,260 | 82.3 | 6.2 |
| Value | Jobe Shanahan (WCE) | $6,000 | 51.1 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Jake Riccardi (GWS) | $11,810 | 68.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Max Gruzewski (GWS) | $6,000 | 48.7 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kieren Briggs (GWS) | $11,780 | 79 | 6.7 |
| Value | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $8,440 | 68.3 | 8.1 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Eagles vs Giants Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like James Leake. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Lachie Ash 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, Tom McCarthy is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Eagles vs Giants slate closes at 8:20pm 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 Eagles vs Giants Round 17 contest. 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 Eagles 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 West Coast Eagles 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.
