AFL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 8, 2026
Last updated: May 3, 2026, 4:45AM | Published: Apr 29, 2026, 9:55AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Sunday Round 8 DFS contest kicks off at 3:15pm AEST on May 3, 2026, 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 essential 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 8.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Sunday slate features these matches:
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD, RK) | $16,150 | 114.6 | 7.1 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB, FWD) | $6,000 | 53.1 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Ned Moyle (GC, RK) | $10,880 | 63 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Jack Buckley (GWS, DEF) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
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 | Lachie Ash (GWS) | $15,840 | 109 | 6.9 |
| Value | Jack Buckley (GWS) | $6,000 | 50.1 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Nick Blakey (SYD) | $14,090 | 85.8 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Harry Himmelberg (GWS) | $9,050 | 70.4 | 7.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaac Heeney (SYD) | $16,360 | 107.8 | 6.6 |
| Value | Toby Bedford (GWS) | $7,340 | 59.9 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Ed Langdon (MELB) | $12,010 | 74.3 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | James Leake (GWS) | $7,820 | 59.9 | 7.7 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,790 | 100.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,000 | 53.1 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Chad Warner (SYD) | $13,870 | 90 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Billy Cootee (SYD) | $6,000 | 48.7 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $16,150 | 114.6 | 7.1 |
| Value | Max Heath (MELB) | $6,770 | 55.5 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Ned Moyle (GC) | $10,880 | 63 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Joel Amartey (SYD) | $8,370 | 55.5 | 6.6 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Sunday Round 8 teams, consider starting with a value player like Bailey Laurie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Brodie Grundy is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Jack Buckley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ned Moyle is one of the lowest 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 3:15pm 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 8 slate. 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 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.
