AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2025
Last updated: Apr 30, 2025, 12:33PM | Published: Apr 30, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 8 DFS contest starts at 7:30pm AEST on May 1, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 8.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate includes the following match-ups:
- West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne
- Sydney Swans vs GWS GIANTS
- Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide
- Collingwood vs Geelong Cats
- St Kilda vs Fremantle
- Essendon vs North Melbourne
- Adelaide Crows vs Carlton
- Hawthorn vs Richmond
- Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast SUNS
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 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lachie Whitfield (GWS, DEF) | $17,110 | 111.7 | 6.5 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL, MID/FWD) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Mabior Chol (HAW, FWD/RK) | $11,110 | 60.3 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT, MID) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $17,110 | 111.7 | 6.5 |
| Value | Josh Fahey (GWS) | $6,000 | 64.2 | 10.7 |
| Fade | Trent Rivers (MELB) | $14,200 | 81.7 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jedd Busslinger (WB) | $6,000 | 59.5 | 9.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $16,970 | 108.7 | 6.4 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Trent Rivers (MELB) | $14,200 | 81.7 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nic Martin (ESS) | $15,130 | 96.6 | 6.4 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Mabior Chol (HAW) | $11,110 | 60.3 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Deven Robertson (BL) | $6,000 | 65.8 | 11 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC) | $17,220 | 106.8 | 6.2 |
| Value | Max Heath (STK) | $6,000 | 64 | 10.7 |
| Fade | Mabior Chol (HAW) | $11,110 | 60.3 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Nicholas Madden (GWS) | $6,000 | 63 | 10.5 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Round 8 teams, consider starting with a value player like Finlay Macrae. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Lachie Whitfield 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 Hugh Jackson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Mabior Chol 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 8 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
