AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 5, 2026
Last updated: Apr 11, 2026, 2:33AM | Published: Apr 8, 2026, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 5 DFS contest begins at 12:35pm AEST on April 11, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 5.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate includes these match-ups:
- Sydney Swans vs Gold Coast SUNS
- Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs
- North Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions
- Essendon vs Melbourne
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 most reliable DFS projections available.
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 | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $17,960 | 119.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Elijah Tsatas (ESS, MID) | $6,710 | 69.6 | 10.4 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB, MID) | $11,890 | 70 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Ridley (ESS, DEF) | $9,300 | 87.7 | 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 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 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) | $16,270 | 110.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jordan Ridley (ESS) | $9,300 | 87.7 | 9.4 |
| Fade | Keidean Coleman (BL) | $12,090 | 75.8 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Aidan Corr (NMFC) | $6,000 | 51 | 8.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB) | $17,820 | 116.9 | 6.6 |
| Value | Elijah Tsatas (ESS) | $6,710 | 69.6 | 10.4 |
| Fade | Ryley Sanders (WB) | $11,890 | 70 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Sullivan Robey (ESS) | $6,000 | 51 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Touk Miller (GC) | $14,400 | 95.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | Charlie Spargo (NMFC) | $6,460 | 56 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Kade Chandler (MELB) | $10,030 | 65.8 | 6.6 |
| Cheapie | Sullivan Robey (ESS) | $6,000 | 51 | 8.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,960 | 119.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Darcy Fort (BL) | $9,090 | 70.3 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Sam Draper (BL) | $10,670 | 70.5 | 6.6 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Blakiston (ESS) | $7,150 | 55.3 | 7.7 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Round 5 teams, consider starting with a value player like Elijah Tsatas. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jordan Ridley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ryley Sanders is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out 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 5 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap 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.
