AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 18, 2026
Last updated: Jul 10, 2026, 2:39AM | Published: Jul 8, 2026, 9:45AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 18 DFS contest starts at 1:15pm AEST on July 11, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 and improve your Supercoach team for Round 18.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate includes the following matches:
- GWS GIANTS vs Geelong Cats
- St Kilda vs Port Adelaide
- Carlton vs Hawthorn
- Adelaide Crows vs Gold Coast SUNS
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,740 | 121 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS, MID) | $6,000 | 56 | 9.3 |
| Fade | Rowan Marshall (STK, RK) | $15,730 | 84.2 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Oliver Greeves (HAW, MID) | $6,000 | 52.1 | 8.7 |
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 | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK) | $16,940 | 113.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Tobie Travaglia (STK) | $6,370 | 53.3 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Darcy Byrne-Jones (PORT) | $12,960 | 77.6 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Sam Taylor (GWS) | $6,740 | 52.7 | 7.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,740 | 121 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS) | $6,000 | 56 | 9.3 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $10,840 | 67.4 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Oliver Greeves (HAW) | $6,000 | 52.1 | 8.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $14,660 | 96.3 | 6.6 |
| Value | Oliver Wiltshire (GEEL) | $6,000 | 47.1 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $10,840 | 67.4 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Nick Holman (GC) | $6,000 | 46.4 | 7.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lachlan McAndrew (ADEL) | $13,140 | 86.7 | 6.6 |
| Value | Dante Visentini (PORT) | $6,000 | 46.3 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Rowan Marshall (STK) | $15,730 | 84.2 | 5.4 |
| Cheapie | Mark Blicavs (GEEL) | $8,400 | 62.4 | 7.4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Saturday Round 18 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jack Ough. 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 Oliver Greeves.
On the other hand, according to our model, Rowan Marshall 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 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 18 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 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.
