AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 16, 2026
Last updated: Jun 25, 2026, 8:36AM | Published: Jun 24, 2026, 9:36AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 16 DFS contest begins at 7:30pm AEST on June 25, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 enhance your Supercoach team for Round 16.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate features the following match-ups:
- Fremantle vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Collingwood vs Richmond
- North Melbourne vs Essendon
- Port Adelaide vs Adelaide Crows
- Hawthorn vs GWS GIANTS
- Carlton vs West Coast Eagles
- Brisbane Lions vs Sydney Swans
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $18,610 | 119.5 | 6.4 |
| Value | Jarrod Witts (GC, RK) | $8,770 | 78.9 | 9 |
| Fade | Cooper Trembath (NMFC, FWD/RK) | $10,060 | 58.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jack Dalton (HAW, FWD) | $6,000 | 53.8 | 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 are 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 | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $17,450 | 114.3 | 6.5 |
| Value | Harrison Oliver (GWS) | $6,000 | 50.6 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Darcy Byrne-Jones (PORT) | $12,800 | 76.3 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Heath Chapman (FRE) | $8,080 | 64.2 | 7.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $18,610 | 119.5 | 6.4 |
| Value | Ben Jepson (GC) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Seth Campbell (RICH) | $10,050 | 60 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Nick Holman (GC) | $6,000 | 45.7 | 7.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $14,590 | 95.1 | 6.5 |
| Value | Jack Dalton (HAW) | $6,000 | 53.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Cooper Trembath (NMFC) | $10,060 | 58.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Eric Hipwood (BL) | $6,850 | 55.2 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luke Jackson (FRE) | $16,630 | 104.4 | 6.3 |
| Value | Jarrod Witts (GC) | $8,770 | 78.9 | 9 |
| Fade | Cooper Trembath (NMFC) | $10,060 | 58.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Sean Darcy (FRE) | $7,890 | 65.2 | 8.3 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Round 16 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jarrod Witts. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nick Daicos is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jack Dalton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Cooper Trembath 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 7:30pm AEST 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 16 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 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.
