AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2025
Last updated: Jul 31, 2025, 12:35PM | Published: Jul 30, 2025, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 21 DFS contest commences at 1:20pm AEST on August 2, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 21.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate consists of the following match-ups:
- Sydney Swans vs Essendon
- Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles
- Collingwood vs Brisbane Lions
- Gold Coast SUNS 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 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL, MID) | $16,750 | 113.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Henry Smith (BL, RK) | $6,000 | 59.1 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Bodhi Uwland (GC, DEF) | $10,100 | 57.1 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Sam Marshall (BL, MID) | $6,000 | 56.1 | 9.4 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Josh Daicos (COLL) | $14,740 | 97.2 | 6.6 |
| Value | Darcy Gardiner (BL) | $6,000 | 53.3 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Bodhi Uwland (GC) | $10,100 | 57.1 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Charlie Dean (COLL) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.2 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nick Daicos (COLL) | $16,750 | 113.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Sam Marshall (BL) | $6,000 | 56.1 | 9.4 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS) | $11,150 | 64 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Tom Gross (WCE) | $6,000 | 55.4 | 9.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,150 | 85.6 | 6 |
| Value | Will Hoskin-Elliott (COLL) | $6,000 | 55.2 | 9.2 |
| Fade | Sam Flanders (GC) | $12,770 | 75.9 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jesse Dattoli (SYD) | $6,000 | 52.2 | 8.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $18,450 | 112.6 | 6.1 |
| Value | Henry Smith (BL) | $6,000 | 59.1 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,420 | 108 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Sims (RICH) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Henry Smith. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Sam Marshall.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bodhi Uwland is one of the lowest 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 Saturday slate closes at 1:20pm 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 21 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.
