AFL Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2025
Last updated: Aug 15, 2025, 8:34AM | Published: Aug 13, 2025, 9:37AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Friday Round 23 DFS contest kicks off at 7:20pm AEST on August 15, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 improve your Supercoach team for Round 23.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Friday slate consists of these matches:
- Sydney Swans vs Geelong Cats
- Essendon vs St Kilda
- Fremantle vs Brisbane Lions
- Hawthorn vs Melbourne
- Gold Coast SUNS vs GWS GIANTS
- North Melbourne vs Richmond
- Carlton vs Port Adelaide
- Adelaide Crows vs Collingwood
- Western Bulldogs vs West Coast Eagles
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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 | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK, MID/DEF) | $18,030 | 115 | 6.4 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL, FWD/RK) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
| Fade | Peter Ladhams (SYD, RK) | $10,640 | 52.1 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Alex Dodson (STK, RK) | $6,000 | 58.6 | 9.8 |
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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight 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 | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK) | $18,030 | 115 | 6.4 |
| Value | Luke Beecken (BL) | $6,000 | 57.2 | 9.5 |
| Fade | Bailey Dale (WB) | $15,380 | 85.5 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Tobie Travaglia (STK) | $6,030 | 56.2 | 9.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK) | $18,030 | 115 | 6.4 |
| Value | Bailey Scott (NMFC) | $6,750 | 58.3 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS) | $12,700 | 72.4 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Sam Marshall (BL) | $6,000 | 51.1 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gryan Miers (GEEL) | $14,620 | 97.5 | 6.7 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB) | $10,270 | 60.6 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 53.7 | 8.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,460 | 110.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Sam Day (BL) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
| Fade | Peter Ladhams (SYD) | $10,640 | 52.1 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Alex Dodson (STK) | $6,000 | 58.6 | 9.8 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Friday Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Sam Day. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera 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 Alex Dodson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Peter Ladhams 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 23 contest. 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.
