AFL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 22, 2025
Last updated: Aug 10, 2025, 3:32AM | Published: Aug 6, 2025, 9:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Sunday Round 22 DFS contest begins at 1:40pm AEST on August 10, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 22.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Sunday slate consists of the following 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 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 Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB, MID) | $16,490 | 108.9 | 6.6 |
| Value | Brynn Teakle (NMFC, RK) | $7,210 | 69.1 | 9.6 |
| Fade | Ryan Maric (WCE, DEF) | $12,870 | 72.9 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Jedd Busslinger (WB, DEF) | $6,000 | 52.7 | 8.8 |
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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $16,240 | 106.4 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jedd Busslinger (WB) | $6,000 | 52.7 | 8.8 |
| Fade | Ryan Maric (WCE) | $12,870 | 72.9 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Toby Pink (NMFC) | $6,000 | 51.1 | 8.5 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Marcus Bontempelli (WB) | $16,490 | 108.9 | 6.6 |
| Value | Tom Gross (WCE) | $7,020 | 55.2 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Stephen Coniglio (GWS) | $10,910 | 62.3 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Caleb Poulter (WB) | $7,990 | 60.7 | 7.6 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $13,340 | 87.5 | 6.6 |
| Value | Lachlan McNeil (WB) | $6,000 | 52.4 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $13,810 | 82 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Laitham Vandermeer (WB) | $6,000 | 50.3 | 8.4 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tim English (WB) | $15,630 | 108.4 | 6.9 |
| Value | Brynn Teakle (NMFC) | $7,210 | 69.1 | 9.6 |
| Fade | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $13,810 | 82 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Chris Burgess (ADEL) | $6,240 | 49.7 | 8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Sunday Round 22 teams, consider starting with a value player like Brynn Teakle. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Marcus Bontempelli 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 Jedd Busslinger.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ryan Maric 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 Sunday slate closes at 1:40pm 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 22 contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge 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.
