AFL Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 9, 2026
Last updated: May 8, 2026, 8:34AM | Published: May 6, 2026, 9:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Friday Round 9 DFS contest kicks off at 7:30pm AEST on May 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 9.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Friday slate includes these games:
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dayne Zorko (BL, DEF) | $16,500 | 112.5 | 6.8 |
| Value | Lachlan Smith (WB, RK) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB, MID) | $12,790 | 77.7 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Harvey Gallagher (WB, MID) | $6,000 | 47.9 | 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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $16,500 | 112.5 | 6.8 |
| Value | Lachie Jones (PORT) | $6,000 | 45.8 | 7.6 |
| Fade | Bailey Williams (WB) | $13,200 | 82.6 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Jacob Weitering (CARL) | $7,900 | 59.4 | 7.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zak Butters (PORT) | $16,800 | 110.1 | 6.6 |
| Value | Harvey Gallagher (WB) | $6,000 | 47.9 | 8 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB) | $12,790 | 77.7 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Jack Watkins (PORT) | $7,430 | 58.2 | 7.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $13,870 | 92.5 | 6.7 |
| Value | Lachlan McNeil (WB) | $6,000 | 47.4 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Zac Bailey (BL) | $14,290 | 91.9 | 6.4 |
| Cheapie | Harry McKay (CARL) | $8,690 | 67.9 | 7.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tim English (WB) | $15,550 | 103.1 | 6.6 |
| Value | Lachlan Smith (WB) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Jordon Sweet (PORT) | $13,190 | 83.8 | 6.4 |
| Cheapie | Dante Visentini (PORT) | $6,990 | 55.9 | 8 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Friday Round 9 teams, consider starting with a value player like Lachlan Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Dayne Zorko is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Harvey Gallagher.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ryley Sanders is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Friday slate closes at 7:30pm 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 9 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.
