AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2025
Last updated: Apr 30, 2025, 4:32PM | Published: Apr 30, 2025, 9:32AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 8 DFS contest kicks off at 1:20pm AEST on May 3, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 8.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate features these games:
- Collingwood vs Geelong Cats
- West Coast Eagles vs Melbourne
- Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide
- Adelaide Crows vs Carlton
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 most accurate DFS projections available.
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 make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $16,140 | 108.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL, FWD/MID) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Ivan Soldo (PORT, RK) | $10,870 | 62.1 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT, MID) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
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 | Connor Rozee (PORT) | $15,170 | 105.1 | 6.9 |
| Value | Jedd Busslinger (WB) | $6,000 | 59.5 | 9.9 |
| Fade | Trent Rivers (MELB) | $14,200 | 81.7 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Lachie Jaques (WB) | $6,000 | 58.3 | 9.7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $16,140 | 108.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Trent Rivers (MELB) | $14,200 | 81.7 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christian Petracca (MELB) | $15,940 | 93.9 | 5.9 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Elijah Hollands (CARL) | $12,000 | 70.2 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,000 | 62.7 | 10.4 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,780 | 106.4 | 6 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB) | $6,000 | 61.3 | 10.2 |
| Fade | Ivan Soldo (PORT) | $10,870 | 62.1 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Joe Pike (GEEL) | $6,000 | 58 | 9.7 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Saturday Round 8 teams, consider starting with a value player like Finlay Macrae. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jordan Dawson is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Hugh Jackson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ivan Soldo 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 1:20pm 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 8 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.
