AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2026
Last updated: Jul 31, 2026, 11:43AM | Published: Jul 29, 2026, 9:38AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 21 DFS contest starts at 1:05pm AEST on August 1, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build 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 enhance your Supercoach team for Round 21.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate features the following match-ups:
- Carlton vs Brisbane Lions
- Port Adelaide vs GWS GIANTS
- St Kilda vs Sydney Swans
- Hawthorn vs North Melbourne
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 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 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 | Harry Sheezel (NMFC, MID) | $17,950 | 122.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Will Lorenz (PORT, MID) | $6,050 | 59.3 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK, FWD/MID) | $12,810 | 76.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Aidan Schubert (HAW, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 54.3 | 9.1 |
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 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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $15,590 | 103.8 | 6.7 |
| Value | Bailey Scott (NMFC) | $7,100 | 61.9 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Billy Wilson (CARL) | $11,390 | 68.8 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Laverde (GWS) | $7,900 | 62.6 | 7.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $17,950 | 122.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Will Lorenz (PORT) | $6,050 | 59.3 | 9.8 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $12,810 | 76.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Scott (NMFC) | $7,100 | 61.9 | 8.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chad Warner (SYD) | $14,080 | 94.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Aidan Schubert (HAW) | $6,000 | 54.3 | 9.1 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $12,810 | 76.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Billy Cootee (SYD) | $6,000 | 51.8 | 8.6 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $15,250 | 100.2 | 6.6 |
| Value | Aidan Schubert (HAW) | $6,000 | 54.3 | 9.1 |
| Fade | Lloyd Meek (HAW) | $11,990 | 78.7 | 6.6 |
| Cheapie | Darcy Fort (BL) | $7,860 | 63.9 | 8.1 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Will Lorenz. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Harry Sheezel 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 Aidan Schubert.
On the other hand, according to our model, Mattaes Phillipou 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 1:05pm 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 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.
