AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 22, 2026
Last updated: Aug 7, 2026, 10:56PM | Published: Aug 5, 2026, 9:51AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 22 DFS contest begins at 1:15pm AEST on August 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 22.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Sydney Swans vs Port Adelaide
- Geelong Cats vs Essendon
- Melbourne vs Fremantle
- Adelaide Crows vs Richmond
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the strongest 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $18,180 | 119.5 | 6.6 |
| Value | Vigo Visentini (ESS, RK) | $6,000 | 52.7 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL, DEF) | $11,910 | 66.7 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Laurie (MELB, FWD) | $6,740 | 55 | 8.2 |
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 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 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 | Rory Laird (ADEL) | $14,650 | 96.5 | 6.6 |
| Value | Christian Salem (MELB) | $10,080 | 85.4 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Hugo Hall-Kahan (ADEL) | $11,910 | 66.7 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Turner (MELB) | $8,410 | 66.5 | 7.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $18,180 | 119.5 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jaxon Prior (ESS) | $8,210 | 63.9 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Billy Dowling (ADEL) | $11,170 | 65 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jai Serong (SYD) | $8,840 | 66.6 | 7.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chad Warner (SYD) | $14,120 | 96 | 6.8 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,740 | 55 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Billy Dowling (ADEL) | $11,170 | 65 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Archie Perkins (ESS) | $7,820 | 60.4 | 7.7 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $15,950 | 108.8 | 6.8 |
| Value | Vigo Visentini (ESS) | $6,000 | 52.7 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $11,990 | 70.7 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Samson Ryan (RICH) | $6,000 | 49.2 | 8.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Saturday Round 22 teams, consider starting with a value player like Vigo Visentini. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Bailey Laurie.
On the other hand, according to our model, Hugo Hall-Kahan 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 22 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.
