AFL Tigers vs Bombers Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 18, 2025
Last updated: Jul 12, 2025, 1:33AM | Published: Jul 9, 2025, 9:34AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Tigers vs Bombers Round 18 DFS contest commences at 7:35pm AEST on July 12, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and improve your Supercoach team for Round 18.
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 best DFS projections in the world.
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 have reviewed players from each team in the Richmond vs Essendon match-up to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach Merrett (ESS, MID) | $16,360 | 100.7 | 6.2 |
| Value | Thomas Sims (RICH, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 48.5 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS, DEF) | $11,700 | 65.2 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | Tyler Sonsie (RICH, FWD/MID) | $6,840 | 55.2 | 8.1 |
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 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 | Nic Martin (ESS) | $16,490 | 100 | 6.1 |
| Value | Tom Brown (RICH) | $7,320 | 55.6 | 7.6 |
| Fade | Andrew McGrath (ESS) | $11,700 | 65.2 | 5.6 |
| Cheapie | James Trezise (RICH) | $8,120 | 55 | 6.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach Merrett (ESS) | $16,360 | 100.7 | 6.2 |
| Value | Tyler Sonsie (RICH) | $6,840 | 55.2 | 8.1 |
| Fade | Archie Roberts (ESS) | $13,520 | 78.9 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Kamdyn McIntosh (RICH) | $7,890 | 63 | 8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Peter Wright (ESS) | $12,300 | 74.3 | 6 |
| Value | Thomas Sims (RICH) | $6,000 | 48.5 | 8.1 |
| Cheapie | Tyler Sonsie (RICH) | $6,840 | 55.2 | 8.1 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Toby Nankervis (RICH) | $14,580 | 92.6 | 6.4 |
| Value | Thomas Sims (RICH) | $6,000 | 48.5 | 8.1 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Tigers vs Bombers Round 18 teams, consider starting with a value player like Thomas Sims. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Zach Merrett 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 Tyler Sonsie.
On the other hand, according to our model, Andrew McGrath is one of the lowest value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Tigers vs Bombers slate closes at 7:35pm 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 Tigers vs Bombers Round 18 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 Tigers 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 Richmond 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.
