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The Australian Football (AFL) season has resumed following a pause after just one game. This article will feature plays from Thursday morning’s DraftKings Showdown slate, which is set to begin at 6:10 a.m. ET.
The AFL is new to all of us at DraftKings, so it’s important to do you research. Make sure you check out the info page below in order to better understand the rules and scoring, and how it translates to fantasy.
After sifting through the stats, here are the targets that standout to me in this matchup.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: AFL Showdown $20K Sticks [$5K to 1st] (GEE vs. COL)
For more on the rules and fantasy scoring setting for your lineups, visit the DraftKings AFL Information page.
Forwards
Stud
Tom Hawkins ($6,400) - Hawkins has been a very strong play since AFL began on DraftKings, partially because his salary was much cheaper a couple of weeks ago. But with the matches he’s been having lately, it’s worth paying the premium. Hawkins has been a key piece of Geelong’s last two dominant victories, scoring 76 and 99 DKFP, respectively.
Other to consider: Brandan Parfitt ($7,000)
Value
Atu Bosenavulagi ($3,200) - This dude’s name is no fun to type, so we’re going to call him “Bose.” But Bose could be a crucial value to cashing on this slate, coming in hot last week in his first match. Bose played a much larger role for Collingwood than expected, scoring 51 points for just $2,700. Now that we’ve seen that potential, paying the $500 increase is no issue. This slate appears to be loaded with Forward value, so consider paying down for more plays below.
Other to consider: Jack Steven ($4,800), Brody Mihocek ($4,600), Will Hoskin-Elliott ($4,400)
Midfielders
Stud
Taylor Adams ($7,600) - This is a tough call on who to pay up for, but Adams has been the hottest play recently of the three options. Adams is averaging 98.3 DKFP over Collingwood’s last three matches, but his salary comes down $400 from last week.
Other to consider: Adam Treloar ($8,100), Josh Daicos ($6,700)
Value
Sam Simpson ($5,500) - Like Bose, Simpson is a really intriguing option that burst onto the scene last week. Obviously, we’re paying a bit more for Simpson, but we’re also getting a higher ceiling — he played a massive role for the Cats with 27 disposals, six marks and five tackles, good for 102 DKFP for just $3,200. Look for Geelong to stick with him, and his salary to continue to rise over the weeks. Roster him for a discount while you can.
Other to consider: Cameron Guthrie ($5,800), Jordan Clark ($4,000)
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Defenders
Stud
Brayden Maynard ($6,800) - Maynard is easily identifiable as the elite Defender play on the slate, averaging over 15 DKFP more than any other target. His consistency makes him easy to justify paying for, scoring no fewer than 71 DKFP in any of his six matches. Maynard’s obviously a good cash play, but without much trustworthy value at the position on this slate, it makes him even more valuable if you can pay up.
Other to consider: Zach Tuohy ($5,700)
Value
Harry Taylor ($4,100) - With some weather concerns in this matchup, it could turn into a bit of a grind, putting a premium on tackles. If that’s the case, the cheap Geelong Defenders become more valuable. I’m featuring Taylor here because he’s the cheapest of the bunch that I’d roster, but has been just as productive an option as any, averaging 49.4 DKFP.
Other to consider: All Geelong Defenders under $4,700
Ruck
Stud
Brodie Grundy ($9,000) - Grundy provides the highest ceiling on the slate, which should be pretty obvious considering his price tag. Rostering him basically comes down to if you’re able to target enough value to save the room — and sticking to only value at Forward is a great way to get there. There is some risk involved — Gundy’s coming off a season-low 53 DKFP, but it also helps us roster him at his second-cheapest salary of the season. We’ve seen Gundy score 113-plus DKFP on three occasions this year.
Value
Darcy Fort ($5,000) - Fort is the alternative play if you feel the need to load up on studs at other positions. You’ll likely feel the drop-off compared to those that roster Grundy, as Fort’s ceiling is pretty close to Grundy’s floor. Fort’s scored between 45-65 DKFP on the slate’s he’s played Ruck so far in 2020.
Set your DraftKings lineups here: AFL Showdown $20K Sticks [$5K to 1st] (GEE vs. COL)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jedlow) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.