AFL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2026
Last updated: Aug 2, 2026, 2:40AM | Published: Jul 29, 2026, 9:38AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Sunday Round 21 DFS contest kicks off at 1:10pm AEST on August 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 21.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Sunday slate includes the following match-ups:
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 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 Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $17,840 | 113.1 | 6.3 |
| Value | Hugo Ralphsmith (RICH, MID) | $6,520 | 52.6 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Marcus Herbert (WCE, DEF) | $12,960 | 62.9 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Joel Jeffrey (GC, FWD) | $9,300 | 73 | 7.9 |
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're 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 highlight 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 | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $15,740 | 107.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Zak Johnson (ESS) | $7,490 | 59.2 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Marcus Herbert (WCE) | $12,960 | 62.9 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Tom McDonald (MELB) | $7,580 | 57.9 | 7.6 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $17,840 | 113.1 | 6.3 |
| Value | Hugo Ralphsmith (RICH) | $6,520 | 52.6 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Harley Reid (WCE) | $13,860 | 76 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Jaxon Prior (ESS) | $8,930 | 65.2 | 7.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,150 | 95.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Joel Jeffrey (GC) | $9,300 | 73 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $10,950 | 69.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Archer Day-Wicks (ESS) | $6,000 | 47.4 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $15,840 | 108.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jack Williams (WCE) | $6,110 | 47.6 | 7.8 |
| Fade | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $12,940 | 81.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Samson Ryan (RICH) | $6,530 | 49.9 | 7.6 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Sunday Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Hugo Ralphsmith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jordan Dawson is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Joel Jeffrey.
On the other hand, according to our model, Marcus Herbert 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 Sunday slate closes at 1:10pm AEST on Sunday. 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 Sunday Round 21 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 Sunday 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.
