AFL Lions vs Bombers Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 12, 2025
Last updated: May 29, 2025, 9:33AM | Published: May 28, 2025, 9:37AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Lions vs Bombers Round 12 DFS contest begins at 7:33pm AEST on May 29, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 12.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable 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 players from each team in the Brisbane Lions vs Essendon match-up to help you find the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dayne Zorko (BL, DEF) | $16,410 | 107.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Zak Johnson (ESS, DEF) | $6,000 | 60.2 | 10 |
| Fade | Zac Bailey (BL, MID/FWD) | $12,070 | 73.8 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Matt Guelfi (ESS, FWD) | $6,660 | 52.9 | 7.9 |
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) | $16,410 | 107.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Zak Johnson (ESS) | $6,000 | 60.2 | 10 |
| Fade | Archie Roberts (ESS) | $13,210 | 81.7 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Laverde (ESS) | $9,430 | 68.6 | 7.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nic Martin (ESS) | $16,160 | 105.2 | 6.5 |
| Value | Ben Hobbs (ESS) | $8,630 | 60.5 | 7 |
| Fade | Zac Bailey (BL) | $12,070 | 73.8 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Cam Rayner (BL) | $8,690 | 57.5 | 6.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Levi Ashcroft (BL) | $12,210 | 77.5 | 6.3 |
| Value | Matt Guelfi (ESS) | $6,660 | 52.9 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Zac Bailey (BL) | $12,070 | 73.8 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Darcy Gardiner (BL) | $6,190 | 48.7 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Wright (ESS) | $11,080 | 74.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Peter Wright (ESS) | $11,080 | 74.2 | 6.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Lions vs Bombers Round 12 teams, consider starting with a value player like Zak Johnson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Dayne Zorko 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 Matt Guelfi.
On the other hand, according to our model, Zac Bailey is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Lions vs Bombers slate closes at 7:33pm 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 Lions vs Bombers Round 12 contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Lions vs Bombers line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Brisbane Lions vs Essendon prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
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.
