AFL Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 20, 2026
Last updated: Jul 24, 2026, 8:44AM | Published: Jul 22, 2026, 9:51AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Friday Round 20 DFS contest kicks off at 7:40pm AEST on July 24, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,120 | 120.9 | 7.1 |
| Value | Jhye Clark (GEEL, FWD) | $6,530 | 58.6 | 9 |
| Fade | Oliver Francou (WCE, MID) | $11,570 | 61.6 | 5.3 |
| Cheapie | Lukas Cooke (MELB, DEF) | $6,000 | 45.9 | 7.7 |
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 | Jake Bowey (MELB) | $13,590 | 93.2 | 6.9 |
| Value | Lukas Cooke (MELB) | $6,000 | 45.9 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Karl Worner (FRE) | $12,430 | 77 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Jack Henry (GEEL) | $6,470 | 48.8 | 7.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,120 | 120.9 | 7.1 |
| Value | Mark Blicavs (GEEL) | $8,330 | 61.7 | 7.4 |
| Fade | Oliver Francou (WCE) | $11,570 | 61.6 | 5.3 |
| Cheapie | Hamish Davis (WCE) | $7,620 | 52.9 | 6.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $13,530 | 95.6 | 7.1 |
| Value | Jhye Clark (GEEL) | $6,530 | 58.6 | 9 |
| Fade | Josh Treacy (FRE) | $12,890 | 78.2 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Jack Henry (GEEL) | $6,470 | 48.8 | 7.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $15,460 | 108.4 | 7 |
| Value | Mark Blicavs (GEEL) | $8,330 | 61.7 | 7.4 |
| Fade | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $12,930 | 81.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Jack Williams (WCE) | $6,430 | 47.6 | 7.4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Friday Round 20 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jhye Clark. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bailey Smith 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 Lukas Cooke.
On the other hand, according to our model, Oliver Francou is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Friday slate closes at 7:40pm 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 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 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.
