AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 19, 2025
Last updated: Jul 17, 2025, 8:33AM | Published: Jul 16, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 19 DFS contest starts at 7:30pm AEST on July 17, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make 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 19.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate consists of these match-ups:
- Adelaide Crows vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Geelong Cats vs St Kilda
- Collingwood vs Fremantle
- Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide
- Essendon vs GWS GIANTS
- Carlton vs Melbourne
- Sydney Swans vs North Melbourne
- West Coast Eagles vs Richmond
- Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest 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 picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,380 | 109.8 | 6.3 |
| Value | Ben Jepson (GC, MID) | $6,000 | 58.7 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Dion Prestia (RICH, MID) | $14,150 | 75 | 5.3 |
| Cheapie | Jack Williams (WCE, FWD) | $6,000 | 57.9 | 9.7 |
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 refer to 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 | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK) | $17,150 | 106.2 | 6.2 |
| Value | Bailey Macdonald (HAW) | $6,000 | 51.6 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Tom McCarthy (WCE) | $13,040 | 71 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Darcy Gardiner (BL) | $6,200 | 51.5 | 8.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,380 | 109.8 | 6.3 |
| Value | Ben Jepson (GC) | $6,000 | 58.7 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Dion Prestia (RICH) | $14,150 | 75 | 5.3 |
| Cheapie | Sam Marshall (BL) | $6,000 | 56.1 | 9.4 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $15,600 | 103.8 | 6.7 |
| Value | Jack Williams (WCE) | $6,000 | 57.9 | 9.7 |
| Fade | Max Hall (STK) | $11,560 | 61.9 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Bruce Reville (BL) | $6,000 | 52.7 | 8.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,490 | 105.6 | 6.4 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 51.4 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Toby Nankervis (RICH) | $15,500 | 92.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Matthew Jefferson (MELB) | $6,000 | 51 | 8.5 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Round 19 teams, consider starting with a value player like Ben Jepson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bailey Smith is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jack Williams.
On the other hand, according to our model, Dion Prestia is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering 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 19 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.
