AFL Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 20, 2025
Last updated: Jul 25, 2025, 8:34AM | Published: Jul 23, 2025, 9:32AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Friday Round 20 DFS contest kicks off at 7:20pm AEST on July 25, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 20.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Friday slate includes the following match-ups:
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 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 every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD, RK) | $17,210 | 107.4 | 6.2 |
| Value | Saad El-Hawli (ESS, MID/DEF) | $6,000 | 63.4 | 10.6 |
| Fade | Bailey Dale (WB, DEF) | $15,190 | 90.4 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jedd Busslinger (WB, DEF) | $6,000 | 59.5 | 9.9 |
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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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) | $15,220 | 104.1 | 6.8 |
| Value | Saad El-Hawli (ESS) | $6,000 | 63.4 | 10.6 |
| Fade | Bailey Dale (WB) | $15,190 | 90.4 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jedd Busslinger (WB) | $6,000 | 59.5 | 9.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB) | $16,830 | 105.1 | 6.2 |
| Value | Saad El-Hawli (ESS) | $6,000 | 63.4 | 10.6 |
| Fade | Joel Freijah (WB) | $10,910 | 65.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Caleb Poulter (WB) | $7,250 | 61.4 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Sam Darcy (WB) | $13,930 | 84.1 | 6 |
| Value | Aaron Francis (SYD) | $6,300 | 54 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Joel Freijah (WB) | $10,910 | 65.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan McNeil (WB) | $6,210 | 52.9 | 8.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $17,210 | 107.4 | 6.2 |
| Value | Peter Wright (ESS) | $10,080 | 72.2 | 7.2 |
| Fade | Sam Darcy (WB) | $13,930 | 84.1 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Hayden McLean (SYD) | $8,100 | 55.7 | 6.9 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Friday Round 20 teams, consider starting with a value player like Saad El-Hawli. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Brodie Grundy is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jedd Busslinger.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bailey Dale is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Friday slate closes at 7:20pm 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 Friday Round 20 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 Friday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
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.
