AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 1, 2026
Last updated: Mar 11, 2026, 10:34AM | Published: Mar 11, 2026, 8:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 1 DFS contest starts at 7:30pm AEDT on March 12, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 1.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate consists of the following games:
- Geelong Cats vs Fremantle
- North Melbourne vs Port Adelaide
- Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions
- Carlton vs Richmond
- Gold Coast SUNS vs West Coast Eagles
- Melbourne vs St Kilda
- Essendon vs Hawthorn
- Western Bulldogs vs GWS GIANTS
- Collingwood vs Adelaide Crows
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 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 make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC, MID/FWD) | $16,900 | 116.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 69.5 | 11.6 |
| Fade | Daniel Curtin (ADEL, MID) | $12,270 | 64.3 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Elijah Tsatas (ESS, MID) | $6,760 | 70.4 | 10.4 |
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 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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $15,290 | 110.5 | 7.2 |
| Value | Bailey Scott (NMFC) | $7,570 | 77.7 | 10.3 |
| Fade | Zach Reid (ESS) | $11,190 | 60.3 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Ridley (ESS) | $9,380 | 89.4 | 9.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $16,900 | 116.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Elijah Tsatas (ESS) | $6,760 | 70.4 | 10.4 |
| Fade | Daniel Curtin (ADEL) | $12,270 | 64.3 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Scott (NMFC) | $7,570 | 77.7 | 10.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $16,900 | 116.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB) | $6,000 | 69.5 | 11.6 |
| Fade | Joe Richards (PORT) | $10,440 | 59 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Shane McAdam (MELB) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,790 | 116.2 | 6.9 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB) | $6,000 | 69.5 | 11.6 |
| Fade | Ned Moyle (GC) | $11,070 | 62.9 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $7,520 | 66.6 | 8.9 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
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 Tom Campbell. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Harry Sheezel 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 Elijah Tsatas.
On the other hand, according to our model, Daniel Curtin 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 Full Round slate closes at 7:30pm 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.
