AFL Saturday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 1, 2025
Last updated: Mar 12, 2025, 8:33AM | Published: Mar 12, 2025, 8:33AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Saturday Late Round 1 DFS contest kicks off at 7:35pm AEDT on March 15, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 1.
Featured AFL Games
Draftstars' AFL Saturday Late slate features the following match-ups:
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 accurate 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC, RK) | $18,070 | 120.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL, FWD/MID) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Jy Simpkin (NMFC, MID) | $13,910 | 79.9 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT, MID) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
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 | Josh Daicos (COLL) | $14,380 | 98.2 | 6.8 |
| Value | Jedd Busslinger (WB) | $6,000 | 61.4 | 10.2 |
| Fade | Harry Perryman (COLL) | $13,020 | 77.6 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Lachie Jaques (WB) | $6,000 | 58.3 | 9.7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Harry Sheezel (NMFC) | $16,440 | 114.4 | 7 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Jy Simpkin (NMFC) | $13,910 | 79.9 | 5.7 |
| Cheapie | Hugh Jackson (PORT) | $6,000 | 66.6 | 11.1 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jason Horne-Francis (PORT) | $14,210 | 89.3 | 6.3 |
| Value | Finlay Macrae (COLL) | $6,000 | 67.2 | 11.2 |
| Fade | Matthew Kennedy (WB) | $12,970 | 78.2 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Will Lorenz (PORT) | $6,000 | 61.7 | 10.3 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tristan Xerri (NMFC) | $18,070 | 120.3 | 6.7 |
| Value | Finnbar Maley (NMFC) | $6,000 | 54.2 | 9 |
| Fade | Ivan Soldo (PORT) | $10,930 | 63.2 | 5.8 |
| Cheapie | Dante Visentini (PORT) | $6,920 | 61.9 | 8.9 |
Please note that we will update our AFL Draftstars tips as soon as teams are officially announced.
Conclusion
When building your AFL Saturday Late Round 1 teams, consider starting with a value player like Finlay Macrae. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Tristan Xerri is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Hugh Jackson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jy Simpkin 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 Saturday Late slate closes at 7:35pm AEDT 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 Saturday Late Round 1 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Saturday Late 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.
