AFL Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 21, 2026
Last updated: Jul 29, 2026, 5:41PM | Published: Jul 29, 2026, 9:38AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Thursday Round 21 DFS contest kicks off at 7:30pm AEST on July 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 Thursday slate consists of these games:
- Carlton vs Brisbane Lions
- Richmond vs West Coast Eagles
- Gold Coast SUNS vs Melbourne
- Collingwood vs Geelong Cats
- St Kilda vs Sydney Swans
- Port Adelaide vs GWS GIANTS
- Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs
- Essendon vs Adelaide Crows
- Hawthorn vs North Melbourne
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC, MID) | $17,950 | 122.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Will Brodie (PORT, MID) | $6,000 | 66.7 | 11.1 |
| Fade | Marcus Herbert (WCE, DEF) | $12,960 | 62.9 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Tom Campbell (MELB, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 65.4 | 10.9 |
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'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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Kaleb Smith (RICH) | $6,140 | 55.7 | 9.1 |
| Fade | Marcus Herbert (WCE) | $12,960 | 62.9 | 4.9 |
| Cheapie | Luke Beecken (BL) | $6,000 | 53.4 | 8.9 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $17,950 | 122.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Will Brodie (PORT) | $6,000 | 66.7 | 11.1 |
| Fade | Harley Reid (WCE) | $13,860 | 76 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Deven Robertson (WCE) | $6,000 | 62.7 | 10.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $14,150 | 95.6 | 6.8 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB) | $6,000 | 65.4 | 10.9 |
| Fade | Mattaes Phillipou (STK) | $12,810 | 76.1 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Finlay Macrae (WCE) | $6,000 | 59.8 | 10 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $15,840 | 108.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Tom Campbell (MELB) | $6,000 | 65.4 | 10.9 |
| Fade | Bailey J. Williams (WCE) | $12,940 | 81.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Max Heath (MELB) | $6,380 | 60 | 9.4 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Thursday Round 21 teams, consider starting with a value player like Will Brodie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Harry Sheezel 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 Tom Campbell.
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 building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Thursday slate closes at 7:30pm AEST on Thursday. 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 Thursday 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 Thursday 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.
