AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2026
Last updated: Aug 15, 2026, 2:33AM | Published: Aug 12, 2026, 9:36AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 23 DFS contest kicks off at 12:35pm AEST on August 15, 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 23.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate features these match-ups:
- Richmond vs St Kilda
- Port Adelaide vs Melbourne
- North Melbourne vs Geelong Cats
- Hawthorn vs Collingwood
- Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast SUNS
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 strongest 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'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 | Harry Sheezel (NMFC, MID) | $15,980 | 121.8 | 7.6 |
| Value | Max Beattie (HAW, MID) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Miles Bergman (PORT, DEF/MID) | $13,220 | 78.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Christian Salem (MELB, DEF/FWD) | $9,690 | 85.4 | 8.8 |
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 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 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 | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $15,620 | 106.1 | 6.8 |
| Value | Christian Salem (MELB) | $9,690 | 85.4 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Miles Bergman (PORT) | $13,220 | 78.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Aidan Corr (NMFC) | $6,000 | 49.3 | 8.2 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $15,980 | 121.8 | 7.6 |
| Value | Max Beattie (HAW) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Miles Bergman (PORT) | $13,220 | 78.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Annable (BL) | $7,070 | 53.5 | 7.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zac Bailey (BL) | $14,210 | 95.5 | 6.7 |
| Value | Christian Salem (MELB) | $9,690 | 85.4 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $12,600 | 74.9 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Tim Membrey (COLL) | $8,160 | 67 | 8.2 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,720 | 106.4 | 6.4 |
| Value | Darcy Fort (BL) | $7,670 | 60.1 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Rowan Marshall (STK) | $14,660 | 91.2 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Tom De Koning (STK) | $8,780 | 67.3 | 7.7 |
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 Max Beattie. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Christian Salem.
On the other hand, according to our model, Miles Bergman 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 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 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.
