AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 1, 2025
Last updated: Mar 12, 2025, 8:33AM | Published: Mar 12, 2025, 8:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 1 DFS contest starts at 7:33pm AEDT on March 13, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 1.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate features these match-ups:
- Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
- Hawthorn vs Essendon
- Adelaide Crows vs St Kilda
- Geelong Cats vs Fremantle
- Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions
- Richmond vs Carlton
- Melbourne vs GWS GIANTS
- West Coast Eagles vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Collingwood vs Port Adelaide
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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 make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC, RK) | $18,070 | 120.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS, MID) | $6,000 | 67.7 | 11.3 |
| Fade | Isaac Cumming (ADEL, DEF/MID) | $11,600 | 59.8 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Jack Henderson (MELB, MID) | $6,000 | 65.4 | 10.9 |
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 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 | Jack Sinclair (STK) | $14,970 | 107.3 | 7.2 |
| Value | Riley Bice (SYD) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
| Fade | Isaac Cumming (ADEL) | $11,600 | 59.8 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Luke Cleary (WB) | $7,000 | 62.3 | 8.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $16,440 | 114.4 | 7 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS) | $6,000 | 67.7 | 11.3 |
| Fade | Isaac Cumming (ADEL) | $11,600 | 59.8 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Jack Henderson (MELB) | $6,000 | 65.4 | 10.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $14,210 | 89.3 | 6.3 |
| Value | Max Hall (STK) | $6,000 | 55 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Luke Jackson (FRE) | $13,660 | 76 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Curtin (ADEL) | $6,000 | 51.9 | 8.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC) | $18,070 | 120.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Darcy Fort (BL) | $7,680 | 71.1 | 9.3 |
| Fade | Luke Jackson (FRE) | $13,660 | 76 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Harry Boyd (STK) | $7,400 | 65.1 | 8.8 |
Conclusion
In AFL DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Round 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like James Leake. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Tristan Xerri 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 Jack Henderson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Isaac Cumming is one of the lowest 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 Full Round slate closes at 7:33pm AEDT on Thursday. 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 Round 1 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Full Round 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.
