AFL Full Round Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 2, 2026, 7:45PM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:13AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Semi-Finals, 2026 DFS contest commences at 8:10pm AEST on September 3, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable 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.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Full Round slate consists of the following match-ups:
- Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs
- Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions
- Geelong Cats vs Carlton
- Fremantle vs Hawthorn
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 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 find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,760 | 121.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Max Beattie (HAW, FWD) | $6,000 | 55.2 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL, MID/FWD) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Annable (BL, MID) | $6,000 | 54.1 | 9 |
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 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) | $14,740 | 105.9 | 7.2 |
| Value | Chayce Jones (ADEL) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Oliver Florent (CARL) | $12,960 | 84.7 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Luke Beecken (BL) | $6,000 | 53.3 | 8.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,760 | 121.7 | 6.9 |
| Value | Daniel Annable (BL) | $6,000 | 54.1 | 9 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Charlie Edwards (ADEL) | $6,090 | 51.9 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chad Warner (SYD) | $15,450 | 99.5 | 6.4 |
| Value | Max Beattie (HAW) | $6,000 | 55.2 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) | $10,590 | 61 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Talor Byrne (CARL) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $15,160 | 101.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Henry Smith (BL) | $6,000 | 52.4 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Smith (WB) | $6,000 | 49.3 | 8.2 |
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 Semi-Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Max Beattie. 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, check out our cheapie options, including Daniel Annable.
On the other hand, according to our model, Patrick Dangerfield 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 8:10pm 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 Semi-Finals 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.
