AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 12, 2026
Last updated: May 27, 2026, 12:44PM | Published: May 27, 2026, 9:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 12 DFS contest kicks off at 1:15pm AEST on May 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 crucial 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.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate features these matches:
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 most reliable 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 find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $16,930 | 115.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Cody Weightman (WB, FWD) | $6,000 | 58.2 | 9.7 |
| Fade | Patrick Retschko (RICH, MID) | $10,560 | 63.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Annable (BL, MID) | $6,000 | 55.1 | 9.2 |
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 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) | $15,640 | 108.6 | 6.9 |
| Value | Kaleb Smith (RICH) | $6,170 | 51.7 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Tom McCartin (SYD) | $11,300 | 68.2 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Carmichael (WB) | $6,000 | 49.2 | 8.2 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $16,930 | 115.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Daniel Annable (BL) | $6,000 | 55.1 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Patrick Retschko (RICH) | $10,560 | 63.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Josh Smillie (RICH) | $6,000 | 51.3 | 8.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zac Bailey (BL) | $12,160 | 87.7 | 7.2 |
| Value | Cody Weightman (WB) | $6,000 | 58.2 | 9.7 |
| Fade | Seth Campbell (RICH) | $10,170 | 62.6 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Adam Sweid (FRE) | $6,000 | 51.2 | 8.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $17,850 | 111.5 | 6.2 |
| Value | Lachlan Smith (WB) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Darcy Cameron (COLL) | $14,080 | 91.1 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Louis Emmett (WB) | $6,000 | 47 | 7.8 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Round 12 teams, consider starting with a value player like Cody Weightman. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nick Daicos is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Daniel Annable.
On the other hand, according to our model, Patrick Retschko is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate closes at 1:15pm AEST on Saturday. 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 Saturday 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 Saturday 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.
