AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 20, 2026
Last updated: Jul 25, 2026, 2:43AM | Published: Jul 22, 2026, 9:51AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 20 DFS contest kicks off at 1:05pm AEST on July 25, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 20.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate consists of these games:
- GWS GIANTS vs Sydney Swans
- Carlton vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Hawthorn vs Essendon
- Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB, MID) | $16,240 | 107.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS, MID) | $6,310 | 56.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Zeke Uwland (GC, MID) | $11,380 | 66.8 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Billy Cootee (SYD, FWD) | $6,120 | 51.8 | 8.5 |
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 | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $16,700 | 107.3 | 6.4 |
| Value | Bailey Macdonald (HAW) | $6,440 | 50.6 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Josh Battle (HAW) | $13,740 | 82 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Lewis Young (CARL) | $6,000 | 46.4 | 7.7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB) | $16,240 | 107.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jack Ough (GWS) | $6,310 | 56.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Zeke Uwland (GC) | $11,380 | 66.8 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Zane Peucker (RICH) | $6,000 | 49.6 | 8.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chad Warner (SYD) | $14,010 | 94.9 | 6.8 |
| Value | Billy Cootee (SYD) | $6,120 | 51.8 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Will Hayward (CARL) | $10,880 | 65.3 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Zane Peucker (RICH) | $6,000 | 49.6 | 8.3 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $14,900 | 100.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Toby Nankervis (RICH) | $11,750 | 83.1 | 7.1 |
| Fade | Peter Wright (ESS) | $11,440 | 70.6 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Blakiston (ESS) | $6,000 | 41.6 | 6.9 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Round 20 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jack Ough. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Marcus Bontempelli 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 Billy Cootee.
On the other hand, according to our model, Zeke Uwland is one of the worst 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 1:05pm 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 20 slate. 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.
