AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 5, 2026
Last updated: Apr 9, 2026, 9:34AM | Published: Apr 8, 2026, 9:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 5 DFS contest begins at 7:40pm AEST on April 9, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 5.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate features these match-ups:
- Geelong Cats vs West Coast Eagles
- Collingwood vs Fremantle
- Sydney Swans vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Port Adelaide vs St Kilda
- Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs
- Adelaide Crows vs Carlton
- Essendon vs Melbourne
- North Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions
- GWS GIANTS 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 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'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 | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $17,960 | 119.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Elijah Tsatas (ESS, MID) | $6,710 | 69.6 | 10.4 |
| Fade | Nicholas Madden (GWS, RK) | $10,890 | 62.9 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Ridley (ESS, DEF) | $9,300 | 87.7 | 9.4 |
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 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 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 | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $16,270 | 110.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jordan Ridley (ESS) | $9,300 | 87.7 | 9.4 |
| Fade | Joe Fonti (GWS) | $10,830 | 63.9 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Aidan Corr (NMFC) | $6,000 | 51 | 8.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $17,130 | 118.8 | 6.9 |
| Value | Elijah Tsatas (ESS) | $6,710 | 69.6 | 10.4 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB) | $11,890 | 70 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Angus Anderson (COLL) | $6,000 | 50.9 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Gryan Miers (GEEL) | $14,520 | 95.9 | 6.6 |
| Value | Harry Schoenberg (WCE) | $6,000 | 53.9 | 9 |
| Fade | Shannon Neale (GEEL) | $10,550 | 61.9 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Charlie Spargo (NMFC) | $6,460 | 56 | 8.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,960 | 119.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $7,460 | 65 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Nicholas Madden (GWS) | $10,890 | 62.9 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Sean Darcy (FRE) | $8,650 | 70.4 | 8.1 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Round 5 teams, consider starting with a value player like Elijah Tsatas. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Jordan Ridley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Nicholas Madden is one of the lowest 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 7:40pm 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 5 slate. 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.
