AFL Swans vs Bombers Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2025
Last updated: Aug 2, 2025, 5:32AM | Published: Jul 30, 2025, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Swans vs Bombers Round 21 DFS contest starts at 4:15pm AEST on August 2, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 21.
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 most reliable DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 players from each team in the Sydney Swans vs Essendon match-up to help you make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD, RK) | $18,450 | 112.6 | 6.1 |
| Value | Jesse Dattoli (SYD, FWD) | $6,000 | 52.2 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS, DEF/MID) | $11,150 | 64 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Lewis Melican (SYD, DEF) | $6,000 | 47.7 | 7.9 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer 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 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 | Callum Mills (SYD) | $14,170 | 84.8 | 6 |
| Value | Lewis Melican (SYD) | $6,000 | 47.7 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS) | $11,150 | 64 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Nguyen (ESS) | $6,000 | 44.5 | 7.4 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $15,510 | 102.1 | 6.6 |
| Value | Jayden Nguyen (ESS) | $6,000 | 44.5 | 7.4 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS) | $11,150 | 64 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Archie Perkins (ESS) | $7,920 | 57.1 | 7.2 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jake Lloyd (SYD) | $12,660 | 82.5 | 6.5 |
| Value | Jesse Dattoli (SYD) | $6,000 | 52.2 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Peter Wright (ESS) | $10,030 | 72.6 | 7.2 |
| Cheapie | Liam McMahon (ESS) | $6,000 | 47.7 | 7.9 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brodie Grundy (SYD) | $18,450 | 112.6 | 6.1 |
| Value | Peter Wright (ESS) | $10,030 | 72.6 | 7.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Swans vs Bombers Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Jesse Dattoli. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Brodie Grundy 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 Lewis Melican.
On the other hand, according to our model, Andrew McGrath is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Swans vs Bombers slate closes at 4:15pm 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 Swans vs Bombers Round 21 contest. 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 Swans vs Bombers line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Sydney Swans vs Essendon prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
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.
