AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2025
Last updated: Aug 16, 2025, 2:32AM | Published: Aug 13, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 23 DFS contest kicks off at 12:35pm AEST on August 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 23.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate consists of these matches:
- Carlton vs Port Adelaide
- Hawthorn vs Melbourne
- Gold Coast SUNS vs GWS GIANTS
- Adelaide Crows vs Collingwood
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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've 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 | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $17,310 | 113.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 53.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Tom De Koning (CARL, RK) | $12,870 | 74.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Billy Wilson (CARL, DEF) | $6,000 | 52.8 | 8.8 |
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 refer to 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) | $15,800 | 104.1 | 6.6 |
| Value | Billy Wilson (CARL) | $6,000 | 52.8 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Josh Worrell (ADEL) | $11,810 | 70.3 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Lewis Young (CARL) | $6,000 | 50.6 | 8.4 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $17,310 | 113.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Harry Sharp (MELB) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Sam Berry (ADEL) | $11,770 | 68.4 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Connor Budarick (GC) | $7,710 | 59 | 7.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $13,680 | 87.3 | 6.4 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 53.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Jack Ginnivan (HAW) | $12,420 | 74.5 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Petty (MELB) | $7,360 | 63.2 | 8.6 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,460 | 110 | 6.7 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 53.8 | 9 |
| Fade | Tom De Koning (CARL) | $12,870 | 74.6 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jack Whitlock (PORT) | $6,000 | 50.6 | 8.4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Saturday Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Ethan Read. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jordan Dawson 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 Billy Wilson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tom De Koning is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate closes at 12:35pm 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 23 contest. 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.
