AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 3, 2026
Last updated: Mar 26, 2026, 7:34AM | Published: Mar 25, 2026, 8:40AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 3 DFS contest begins at 7:30pm AEDT on March 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 3.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate features the following games:
- St Kilda vs Brisbane Lions
- Essendon vs North Melbourne
- Geelong Cats vs Adelaide Crows
- Port Adelaide vs West Coast Eagles
- Collingwood vs GWS GIANTS
- Carlton vs Melbourne
- Fremantle vs Richmond
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 accurate DFS projections available.
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've 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 | Harry Sheezel (NMFC, MID) | $17,870 | 118.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS, MID) | $6,000 | 60.8 | 10.1 |
| Fade | Jagga Smith (CARL, MID) | $14,480 | 78.6 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Harry Schoenberg (WCE, MID) | $6,000 | 60.4 | 10.1 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 | Jack Sinclair (STK) | $15,410 | 110.3 | 7.2 |
| Value | Sam De Koning (GEEL) | $7,510 | 62.2 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Logan Evans (PORT) | $10,800 | 58.8 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Josh Lai (PORT) | $6,000 | 48 | 8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $17,870 | 118.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | James Leake (GWS) | $6,000 | 60.8 | 10.1 |
| Fade | Jagga Smith (CARL) | $14,480 | 78.6 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Harry Schoenberg (WCE) | $6,000 | 60.4 | 10.1 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gryan Miers (GEEL) | $14,310 | 93 | 6.5 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,000 | 57.9 | 9.6 |
| Fade | Murphy Reid (FRE) | $12,010 | 70.1 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Dyson Sharp (ESS) | $6,000 | 52.4 | 8.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,600 | 117.2 | 7.1 |
| Value | Sam Draper (BL) | $8,780 | 75.1 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Luke Jackson (FRE) | $15,560 | 91.2 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Finnbar Maley (ADEL) | $6,000 | 48.6 | 8.1 |
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 3 teams, consider starting with a value player like James Leake. 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 Harry Schoenberg.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jagga Smith is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together 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 3 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.
