AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2026
Last updated: Apr 30, 2026, 8:35AM | Published: Apr 29, 2026, 9:56AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Round 8 DFS contest kicks off at 7:30pm AEST on April 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 8.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate includes these games:
- Sydney Swans vs Melbourne
- Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne
- Adelaide Crows vs Port Adelaide
- Collingwood vs Hawthorn
- Gold Coast SUNS vs GWS GIANTS
- Essendon vs Brisbane Lions
- West Coast Eagles vs Richmond
- Carlton vs St Kilda
- Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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 make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,300 | 121.6 | 7 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB, FWD) | $6,000 | 53.1 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE, FWD/MID) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Harry Schoenberg (WCE, FWD) | $6,110 | 53.6 | 8.8 |
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 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 | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $16,220 | 110.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Buckley (GWS) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Josh Lindsay (WCE) | $11,690 | 59.4 | 5.1 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Blakiston (ESS) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.2 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,300 | 121.6 | 7 |
| Value | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $8,210 | 70.2 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Toby Bedford (GWS) | $7,340 | 59.9 | 8.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,790 | 100.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,000 | 53.1 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Harry Schoenberg (WCE) | $6,110 | 53.6 | 8.8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $16,150 | 114.6 | 7.1 |
| Value | Lloyd Meek (HAW) | $9,950 | 83.1 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Ned Moyle (GC) | $10,880 | 63 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Dante Visentini (PORT) | $7,070 | 59 | 8.4 |
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 Bailey Laurie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Bailey Smith is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Harry Schoenberg.
On the other hand, according to our model, Milan Murdock is one of the worst 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 slate. 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.
