AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 17, 2026
Last updated: Jul 2, 2026, 8:41AM | Published: Jul 1, 2026, 9:40AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 17 DFS contest begins at 7:30pm AEST on July 2, 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 assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 17.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate consists of these matches:
- Sydney Swans vs Western Bulldogs
- West Coast Eagles vs Adelaide Crows
- Richmond vs Carlton
- Gold Coast SUNS vs Collingwood
- Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions
- Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
- GWS GIANTS vs Fremantle
- Hawthorn vs Melbourne
- Essendon vs St Kilda
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the strongest 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $18,080 | 122.1 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS, MID) | $6,000 | 55.2 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL, DEF) | $11,090 | 57.4 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Sean Darcy (FRE, RK) | $6,940 | 62.7 | 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) | $16,940 | 112.7 | 6.7 |
| Value | Darcy Gardiner (BL) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL) | $11,090 | 57.4 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Sam Taylor (GWS) | $6,610 | 54.7 | 8.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $18,080 | 122.1 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS) | $6,000 | 55.2 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Finn O'Sullivan (NMFC) | $12,120 | 71.7 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Sam Swadling (COLL) | $6,000 | 50.3 | 8.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $14,720 | 96.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Eric Hipwood (BL) | $6,000 | 53 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Blake Hardwick (HAW) | $11,500 | 70 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan McNeil (WB) | $6,000 | 49.1 | 8.2 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $15,930 | 111.9 | 7 |
| Value | Sean Darcy (FRE) | $6,940 | 62.7 | 9 |
| Fade | Rowan Marshall (STK) | $15,210 | 78.8 | 5.2 |
| Cheapie | Dante Visentini (PORT) | $6,000 | 49.2 | 8.2 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Round 17 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jack Ough. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Sean Darcy.
On the other hand, according to our model, Hugo Hall-Kahan 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 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 17 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.
