AFL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2026
Last updated: Sep 2, 2026, 7:44PM | Published: Sep 2, 2026, 10:12AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Semi-Finals, 2026 DFS contest commences at 3:15pm AEST on September 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy 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.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate features these games:
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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'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 | Will Ashcroft (BL, MID) | $16,310 | 113.8 | 7 |
| Value | Daniel Annable (BL, MID) | $6,000 | 54.1 | 9 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL, RK/FWD) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Chayce Jones (ADEL, DEF) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
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) | $14,740 | 105.9 | 7.2 |
| Value | Chayce Jones (ADEL) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Jaspa Fletcher (BL) | $11,440 | 74.8 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Luke Beecken (BL) | $6,000 | 53.3 | 8.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Will Ashcroft (BL) | $16,310 | 113.8 | 7 |
| Value | Daniel Annable (BL) | $6,000 | 54.1 | 9 |
| Fade | Izak Rankine (ADEL) | $16,340 | 103.7 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Charlie Edwards (ADEL) | $6,090 | 51.9 | 8.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chad Warner (SYD) | $15,450 | 99.5 | 6.4 |
| Value | Corey Warner (SYD) | $6,000 | 50 | 8.3 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Sid Draper (ADEL) | $6,000 | 48.4 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $15,160 | 101.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Henry Smith (BL) | $6,000 | 52.4 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,880 | 67.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Lachlan Smith (WB) | $6,000 | 49.3 | 8.2 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Semi-Finals, 2026 teams, consider starting with a value player like Daniel Annable. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Will Ashcroft 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 Chayce Jones.
On the other hand, according to our model, Riley Thilthorpe is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Saturday slate closes at 3:15pm 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 Semi-Finals slate. 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.
