THEIR ownership might be high, but are they a trap or a treat?
By popular demand, Calvin sorts through the top 50 owned players in AFL Fantasy.
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Who are the traps, treats and those who are tempting Fantasy coaches as the season rapidly approaches.
1 – Jagga Smith (MID, $230,000) – 68% ownership
TREAT: Looked unbelievable in his AAMI Community Series game, scoring 118 against the Cats. The biggest and easiest lock for 2026.
2 – Harry Sheezel (MID/FWD, $1,145,000) – 66% ownership
TREAT: Easily going to be the No.1 forward in the game and a captain option from the very start. Popular for a reason... pay up and enjoy!
3 – Deven Robertson (FWD, $232,000) – 58% ownership
TREAT: The former Lion has slotted into the Eagles' best 23 and could see midfield minutes. Would be sitting at F6 for most Fantasy coaches.
4 – Sam Flanders (FWD, $716,000) – 57% ownership
TREAT: His ownership is far too low! Flanders averaged 106 over the last two years when playing midfield for the Suns. A role he has at the Saints.
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5 – Zeke Uwland (DEF/MID, $346,000) – 56% ownership
TRAP: The highly owned rookie failed to set the scoreboard on fire on Thursday night, scoring just 33. However, his job security appears strong.
6 – Connor Rozee (DEF/MID, $1,092,000) – 56% ownership
TREAT: A dual-position gem who will be a top three defender this year. Rozee has a great early draw and will be huge again across half-back.
7 – Samuel Grlj (DEF/MID, $322,000) – 52% ownership
TREAT: The Tigers have been raving about their rookies this pre-season. Grlj and Sam Cumming are both names they have pencilled in to start.
8 – Willem Duursma (MID, $350,000) – 51% ownership
TRAP: The top-priced rookie heads to the wooden spooners who struggled to score points last year. Hopefully we can find cheaper rooks!
9 – Dyson Sharp (MID, $302,000) – 49% ownership
TEMPTER: Nearly 50 per cent of Fantasy coaches are hopeful that Sharp will get the nod to play round one. Signs are looking good... still one to watch.
10 – Christian Petracca (MID/FWD, $948,000) – 48% ownership
TREAT: Cast your mind back to 2011 when Melbourne won the premiership. Petracca averaged a career-high 111 that year and will be huge again!
11 – Leo Lombard (FWD, $230,000) – 43% ownership
TREAT: Will be named round one and these $230k gems are hard to find. Scored an impressive 71 in his AAMI Community Series game. Lock!
12 – Josh Lindsay (DEF, $278,000) – 41% ownership
TEMPTER: We'll just need to wait and see. A half-back role was where you wanted to be last year, a role that saw Ryan Maric and Tom McCarthy thrive.
13 – Zak Butters (MID, $1,047,000) – 42% ownership
TREAT: One of the best early draws going around sees Butters play the Kangaroos, Bombers, Eagles and the Tigers first up. A very strong start!
14 – Colby McKercher (DEF, $823,000) – 42% ownership
TEMPTER: A broken finger... but should be right for round one. Massive value and can score with ease. Fingers crossed he's OK (pardon the pun).
15 – Darcy Parish (MID, $759,000) – 40% ownership
TREAT: Parish has ticked all the boxes required this pre-season and coaches are all in on the former premium who averaged 107 in 2023.
16 – Jacob Farrow (DEF/MID, $314,000) – 40% ownership
TREAT: We need to pay-up for rookies and Farrow is one we'll need. Drafted with pick No.10 and likened to Jordan Dawson. Huge upside.
17 – Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (DEF, $1,163,000) – 35% ownership
TREAT: Once you have him... you've got him for the year. Nasiah averaged 118 from the six games he had 50 per cent or more CBAs last year.
18 – Luke Jackson (RUCK, $995,000) – 35% ownership
TREAT: Jackson's ownership increases daily. Coaches are getting scared off by picking a ruck, so they're picking a midfielder instead. Smart move.
19 – Cooper Duff-Tytler (RUCK/FWD, $338,000) – 34% ownership
TRAP: Although Duff-Tytler will be named in round one, the scoring won't be there. If you're after a slow burn on your bench, 'CDT' can be your R3.
20 – Errol Gulden (MID, $1,073,000) – 32% ownership
TEMPTER: Rolled his ankle in the first quarter on Thursday and was put on ice for the rest of the game. Sydney says he'll be right for Opening Round.
21 – Lachlan McAndrew (RUCK, $286,000) – 32% ownership
TREAT: Trap or treat? On field or bench? McAndrew appears to have the No. 1 role at the Crows but for how long? High risk but very high reward.
22 – Tristan Xerri (RUCK, $1,101,000) – 31% ownership
TEMPTER: From the premium rucks, Xerri is the one getting the nod from coaches this pre-season but his ownership is dropping by the day.
23 – Mattaes Phillipou (FWD, $610,000) – 31% ownership
TEMPTER: A bargain last year... and in 2026 he's nearly $50k cheaper. Priced at an average of 58 – was great in his match sim and looks ready!
24 – Nic Newman (DEF, $753,000) – 28% ownership
TRAP: Missed his match sim and missed his AAMI Community Series game. Instead, Newman played three quarters in the VFL... and got suspended. Pass.
25 – Jack Steele (MID, $1,006,000) – 27% ownership
TREAT: Jack Viney is on the sidelines, Clayton Oliver and Petracca are gone. The 'Man of Steele' will save the day and could return to his old 105-plus average.
26 – Nick Daicos (MID, $1,134,000) – 26% ownership
TRAP: We'll all need him at some point, but a bye in round two is hard to look past. He then plays GWS and then the Lions. Trade in after that.
27 – Keidean Coleman (DEF, $559,000) – 26% ownership
TRAP: Evern though Coleman returned to the backline on Thursday night, he struggled to find the ball, finishing with 14 disposals and 58 points.
28 – Sam Lalor (FWD, $567,000) – 24% ownership
TREAT: Eleven games last year saw the former No. 1 draftee average 54. Seriously? He's so much better than that and could push 75 this season.
29 – Lachie Jaques (DEF, $230,000) – 24% ownership
TEMPTER: Ownership has gone through the roof after his captain said he'd "feature early". Big chance we see Jaques play in the Opening Round.
30 – Josh Gibcus (DEF, $230,000) – 24% ownership
TEMPTER: Over his interrupted 21-game career, Gibcus has only scored over 50 on three occasions. However, $230k is hard to ignore for the bench.
31 – Finlay Macrae (MID/FWD, $293,000) – 22% ownership
TRAP: It's hard to see Macrae making the cut for the Eagles early on. Maybe have another name ready just in case he isn't named.
32 – Sam Cumming (MID, $326,000) – 21% ownership
TEMPTER: From the midfield rookies, Cumming could be one of the better options, but the young Tiger did hurt his shoulder on Friday.
33 – Tom McCarthy (DEF, $876,000) – 21% ownership
TRAP: Joined the Eagles in round 14 and instantly became their best Fantasy player. How much can he really add on top of his average of 84?
34 – Patrick Retschko (MID, $230,000) – 20% ownership
TRAP: Didn't make the cut for the Tigers in their AAMI Community Series game which is a huge concern moving forward. We simply can't start with him.
35 – Miles Bergman (DEF, $822,000) – 19% ownership
TEMPTER: Berg as a defender... cold. Berg as a midfielder... hot. He averaged 103 in that role last year – a role we need to know before picking!
36 – Josh Smillie (MID, $230,000) – 19% ownership
TRAP: Unlikely we'll see Smillie in round one when the Tigers take on the Blues as he continues to recover from injury. An in-season downgrade.
37 – Lachlan Blakiston (DEF, $399,000) – 18% ownership
TREAT: While Essendon waits for Nick Byran to return from injury, the No.1 ruck role will be Blakiston's. Plenty of upside, priced at an average of 38.
38 – Sam Walsh (MID, $977,000) – 18% ownership
TREAT: After a full pre-season Walsh is ready to fire. He scored 99 in his AAMI Community Series game from just 68 per cent time on ground.
39 – Connor Macdonald (MID/FWD, $714,000) – 18% ownership
TEMPTER: Mid-priced players very rarely pay off and the promise of 'more midfield minutes' aren't always guaranteed. One to monitor.
40 – Sid Draper (MID/FWD, $307,000) – 17% ownership
TRAP: Draper won't play early games as the Crows continue to manage his groin soreness. He was managed last year and will be again.
41 – Kysaiah Pickett (MID/FWD, $915,000) – 17% ownership
TRAP: Such a good player... but Pickett needs goals to boost his score. In games he kicked less than two goals last year he averaged 74.
42 – Liam Reidy (RUCK/FWD, $394,000) – 17% ownership
TRAP: Even though we should see Reidy getting games, he's now awkwardly priced for someone who won't be scoring enough. A slow burn only.
43 – Caleb Serong (MID, $970,000) – 16% ownership
TEMPTER: Has one of the best ceilings in the game, hitting the heights of 137, 137 and 146 last year. Also went under 80 a total of seven times.
44 – Jordan Dawson (MID, $1,156,000) – 15% ownership
TEMPTER: With no early bye and capable of averaging 110-plus once again, Dawson is everything you look for when paying up for a premium.
45 – Will Brodie (MID, $457,000) – 14% ownership
TRAP: Brodie plays the Eagles on Sunday night in the final AAMI Community Series game. A must-watch game for those considering him.
46 – Kalani White (RUCK/FWD, $230,000) – 14% ownership
TRAP: If you're after a red dot in the ruck department to loop in vice-captain scores, go with Harry Barnett who plays plenty of Sunday games.
47 – Daniel Annable (MID, $330,000) – 14% ownership
TRAP: Sound the alarm... this has gone from "would have made the premiership team" to "didn't make the AAMI team" on Thursday. Concerning.
48 – Tim English (RUCK, $1,162,000) – 14% ownership
TEMPTER: English has been labelled as the ruck who will be least affected by the rules, so if 'set and forget' is your thing – Tim's your guy!
49 – Lachy Dovaston (MID, $290,000) – 13% ownership
TEMPTER: Rookie forwards are going to be tricky to find this year and Dovaston is right up there as one of the best. Could play round one.
50 – Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1,167,000) – 13% ownership
TRAP: GWS, Adelaide and then a bye isn't something what you want to be buying in to. Bontempelli is a player to target throughout the year.
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