THIS year marks the introduction of dual-position players (DPP) to AFLW Fantasy, with the new MID/FWD position sure to change how we pick our forward line players.

Twenty-three players are now listed with MID/FWD status, including five of the eight highest priced players in the forward line.  

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Many of last year's top forwards have been lost, moving to the midfield line, with Zarlie Goldsworthy, Montana Ham and Ash Woodland all listed as MID-only this season.

But with DPP adding new players into the mix for the first time, there are plenty of value options to be found across the forward line.

There are a huge host of players stepping into the midfield or expected to take big strides in their second season. This is not the line to settle for "good enough" selections, so let's dive into some of the breakout candidates in the forward line.

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Projected top six

On the forwards episode of the Official AFLW Fantasy Podcast, Liam named who he thinks will be the top six Fantasy forwards for this season. They are listed with their prices and their 2025 average.

1. Mikayla Bowen (Geelong, $980,000) – 91.3 average
2. Bonnie Toogood (Essendon, $785,000) – 73.2 average
3. Courtney Hodder (Brisbane, $838,000) – 78.1 average
4. Charlie Mullins (Brisbane, $690,000) – 64.3 average
5. Ash Richards (St Kilda, $716,000) – 66.7 average
6. Erone Fitzpatrick (Carlton, $765,000) – 71.3 average

Mikayla Bowen (Geelong, $980,000)
It is rare to have a player stand 10-plus Fantasy points above the rest of their line, and that is where Bowen finds herself after a career best year in 2025. The hard running half-forward thrived in the new faster pace AFLW games, spreading hard to find space on the wings to average 21.6 disposals, 3.3 marks and 6.7 tackles (including a League-high 2.8 tackles inside 50). Her running capacity is even more impressive when you consider she played 94.4 per cent time on ground (TOG) on average last year. The biggest question to answer is whether you need to start with her? Geelong has one of the best home grounds in the AFLW, playing in the wind-protected GMHBA Stadium. With another strong pre-season and an easier fixture for the Cats, there are few reasons to doubt Bowen can back up that season average in 2026. But is that enough given the high value elsewhere in the forward pool?

Charlie Mullins (Brisbane, $690,000)
Mullins may have been slow out of the blocks to start the season, but wow, did she get going!  After averaging 45.2 through the first six rounds and bouncing between positions, Mullins settled into a wing/midfield role that began to bear serious fruit – she averaged 82 from that point of the season on, including a strong finals series. The Lions seem keen to add more pace through the middle of the ground, with Mullins and Courtney Hodder taking minutes from players like Bre Koenen and Ellie Hampson as the season went on. A full season in this role would easily add 15-plus Fantasy points to her starting price and set your Fantasy team up for success.

Ash Richards (St Kilda, $716,000)
Nick Dal Santo finally pulled the trigger on playing Richards in the middle of the ground last season. From rounds five to seven, she was at 66 per cent of centre bounces and averaged an impressive 89 Fantasy points – more importantly, the Saints won all three games. A broken ankle put an end to her breakout season, but Richards has continued to train with the midfield in the off-season. The Saints are not short on midfield options, particularly with Olivia Vesely returning to full fitness this pre-season. But if Richards can maintain that spot in the middle, she is set to be a standout premium option in our forward lines in 2026.

Under-priced premiums

Ash Centra (Collingwood, $640,000)
The former No.1 pick had a slow start to her first season, hampered by a calf injury in her first pre-season. As such, the Magpies had to experiment with her best position in-season, resulting in a poor Fantasy output for us coaches. But once Centra settled in the forward line, her height and calm demeanour with ball in hand made her incredibly dangerous – between rounds five to eight, she averaged 80.75 Fantasy points and Collingwood pulled off a huge upset victory against the unbeaten Swans. Further injury ended Centra's season there, but as such she is now priced at just 59.6. Off an uninterrupted pre-season for the first time in her career, Centra could be an incredible value pick and challenge the top tier of Fantasy forwards immediately.

Lucia Painter (West Coast, $630,000)
Second-year breakouts are looking like a common thread in the forward line, and Painter is the next cab off the rank. With Ali Drennan stepping away for the season, Painter looks increasingly like the next option to step into the midfield mix at West Coast. The Eagles are a strong contested side, but Painter adds something further with her power to burst away at stoppage. She is also an elite kick, and should improve the Eagles' connection inside 50 to their developing key talls Lauren Wakfer and Amy Franklin. Due to her deep forward role last season, her Fantasy scoring was quite volatile and goal dependent at times. However, a spike in CBA numbers can only be positive and help Painter achieve a more consistent floor for her scoring.

Others to consider: Chloe Molloy (Sydney, $823,000), Ellie Blackburn ($746,000), Hayley Miller (Fremantle, $700,000), Havana Harris (Gold Coast, $646,000)

Mid-priced madness

Teah Charlton (Adelaide, $590,000)
Opportunity is the name of the game here. Charlton has been a reliable midfield option for the Crows for many seasons now, but this season they need her – Adelaide will be without Danielle Ponter (inactive - pregnancy), Anne Hatchard (traded to Gold Coast), Brooke Boileau (traded to Carlton) and Chelsea Randall (retired), all of whom have featured heavily in the midfield at some point in recent years. At 24 years old, Charlton is ready to step up into a more prominent role not only in the midfield, but also as a connector on the half-forward line. Priced at just 56.3 Fantasy points, Charlton is one of the easier picks for our starting squads in 2026.

Sierra Grieves (Richmond, $563,000)
Grieves burst onto the scene with an eye-catching debut against the Bombers in round three last season. Her agility is exceptional, and is something that the Tigers need more of – particularly when Mon Conti gets shut down by opposition tags. Grieves has been tearing up the match simulations so far, with new coach Jarrad Donders balancing her time between midfield and half-forward. The pre-season is prime time for giving roles to youngsters before reverting to tried and tested veterans, but hopefully this one sticks into round one.

Others to consider: Olivia Vesely (St Kilda, $489,000), Caitlin Gould (Adelaide, $569,000), Hannah Munyard (Adelaide, $584,000), India Rasheed (Adelaide, $469,000), Ange Stannett (Fremantle, $473,000)

Rookie radar

Lauren Young (Port Adelaide, $389,000)
The word out of Port Adelaide is that Young is not only having her first uninterrupted pre-season in 2026, she is absolutely flying. Young, both by name and age, was one of the most heralded junior stars when she signed with the Power. She starred in the SANFLW in 2023, averaging 110 Fantasy points and being named the league best and fairest at just 15 years of age. The ACL injury she sustained in 2024 led to a long, drawn-out recovery and a quiet start to her career last year, but have no doubt – Young is an absolute jet in waiting for the Power.

Keeley Skepper (West Coast, $357,000)
Skepper had a couple of tough years at the Blues, losing her wing/half-forward role to Keeley Sherar, Dayna Finn and Erone Fitzpatrick. Her ability to impact forward was dropping and a change of scenery was needed. Skepper looks to have seamlessly slotted into the Eagles' half-forward line, tearing up the pre-season so far with plenty of match simulation goals. Matching her career best average of 69.6 back in 2023 would double her price this season, let alone if she can post a few 100-plus ceiling scores as she did that season. If Skepper lines up in round one, it will be hard to leave her out of your line-up.

Chloe Scheer (Geelong, $331,000)
Geelong has been hiding an ace up its sleeves the past couple of years, with Scheer not taking the field due to a series of leg injuries. At her best, Scheer is an incredible forward-half player who hits the scoreboard (averaging 1.7 goals per game in her last full season) and creates opportunities for teammates. She has the class to run through the middle of the ground as well, as seen at the VFLW level in 2022/23, though expect her to mostly play forward. Coming off such a long layoff, she will most likely have limited time on ground to start the season and need to score in big bursts to be relevant. But Scheer is capable of posting some huge Fantasy scores – see her round seven 2022 (S7) game against Essendon where she kicked 3.4 and took eight marks on her way to 85 Fantasy points in a match-winning performance.

Others to consider: Ella Slocombe (West Coast, $328,000), Imogen Trengove (Collingwood, $265,000), Lavinia Cox (Hawthorn, $200,000), Niamh Martin (Hawthorn, $336,000), Abby Hobson (St Kilda, $200,000)

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