AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2026
Last updated: May 2, 2026, 2:32AM | Published: Apr 29, 2026, 9:55AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Round 8 DFS contest begins at 12:35pm AEST on May 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 8.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate includes these games:
- Essendon vs Brisbane Lions
- West Coast Eagles vs Richmond
- Carlton vs St Kilda
- Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL, MID) | $17,300 | 121.6 | 7 |
| Value | Harry Schoenberg (WCE, FWD) | $6,110 | 53.6 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE, FWD/MID) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Dyson Sharp (ESS, FWD) | $6,000 | 51.4 | 8.6 |
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) | $16,220 | 110.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Lachlan Blakiston (ESS) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Josh Lindsay (WCE) | $11,690 | 59.4 | 5.1 |
| Cheapie | Griffin Logue (NMFC) | $6,240 | 50.6 | 8.1 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bailey Smith (GEEL) | $17,300 | 121.6 | 7 |
| Value | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $8,210 | 70.2 | 8.5 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Tom Powell (NMFC) | $9,950 | 79.8 | 8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jeremy Cameron (GEEL) | $13,170 | 88.9 | 6.7 |
| Value | Harry Schoenberg (WCE) | $6,110 | 53.6 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $12,540 | 62.2 | 5 |
| Cheapie | Dyson Sharp (ESS) | $6,000 | 51.4 | 8.6 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC) | $18,420 | 113.7 | 6.2 |
| Value | Lachlan Blakiston (ESS) | $6,000 | 49.5 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $11,310 | 66.9 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jack Darling (NMFC) | $7,240 | 59.5 | 8.2 |
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 Harry Schoenberg. 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, check out our cheapie options, including Dyson Sharp.
On the other hand, according to our model, Milan Murdock is one of the worst 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 8 slate. 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.
