IT'S BEEN a big week in AFL Fantasy with the addition of some new DPPs and some fresh-faced mid-season rookies - and let's not forget about the byes!
When lockout lifted at the conclusion of round 11, Fantasy coaches noticed some relevant players had been added new positions next to their names.
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In a time of need, Carlton's Jagga Smith (MID/FWD, $721,000) and West Coast's Milan Murdock (MID/FWD, $665,000) can now be shuffled into your forward line to replace those players who are under-performing.
Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $967,000) has once again picked up defender status and coaches have been quick to make the trade. Holmes sits as the third-most traded-in player for the week after coming off a score of 110, his best score since round four.
We also saw two players gain TPP (triple-position) which now means that Ed Langdon (DEF/MID/FWD, $818,000) and Sam Flanders (DEF/MID/FWD, $924,000) not only have more abbreviations after their names, but they can now be moved all over the field which might prove to be handy during the bye period.
Fantasy reminder: This week is the first of the five mid-season bye rounds. During this time, Fantasy coaches will have three trades a week, with their best 18 on-field scores counting towards their overall total.
Mid-Season Rookie draftees
During the week, 18 new players joined the AFL. These players are now available to be selected in AFL Fantasy with a $230,000 price tag. But which ones are the most Fantasy relevant?
Marcus Herbert (MID, $230,000) – West Coast
One of the best players in the VFL this season, expect Herbert to be in the Eagles' best 23 very soon. He has averaged 106 in the VFL playing as a midfielder, but can also play down back where he could average 85. Tom McCarthy 2.0.
Joel Fitzgerald (MID, $230,000) – Melbourne
A Fantasy pig of the future ... the 22-year-old averaged 135 in the VFL this year from 34 disposals and six tackles. Playing through the middle, Fitzgerald hit huge scores of 174, 148, 138 and 135. However, he may not get early games.
Jaxon Artemis (DEF, $230,000) – Essendon
The No.1 pick in the draft was overlooked previously after captaining Western Australia and winning their MVP in the Under-18 Championships. Artemis averaged 77 in the VFL and will come into consideration very soon - after he recovers from a calf injury.
Oliver Francou (MID, $230,000) – West Coast
The son of former Port Adelaide player Josh Francou, Oliver averaged 116 in the SANFL this year from eight tackles a game. He has a great kick to handball ratio and could feature in the Eagles' midfield at some point this season.
Trap or treat?
Here are some of the traps to avoid and some treats worth considering for the round ahead.
Gryan Miers (FWD, $869,000) – TRAP
Miers was impressive last week with 94, but that was his first decent score since round four. Battling a knee injury and a breakeven of 125, don't launch into Miers too early. Look at him as the perfect target after his bye - if he's fit and firing.
Patrick Cripps (MID, $866,000) - TREAT
The Blues are back and so is Cripps, who has now scored 100-plus in four of his past five games. He has averaged 105 in his past three games and if you are seeking a unique player, then Cripps is your man sitting in just two per cent of teams.
Jordan De Goey (MID/FWD, $780,000) – TREAT
De Goey's injured score of 17 in round five has dropped his price, and it's not too late to jump onboard. He has now averaged 105 in his past three games, which ranks him as the fourth-best forward during that time.
Bailey Williams (RUCK/FWD, $757,000) – TRAP
I see what you see ... 106 and 141 in his past two games, but can Williams really be the seventh-most traded-in player this week? I feel nearly 5000 coaches are chasing something that isn't there. At a similar price, go De Goey instead!
Phoenix Gothard (FWD, $547,000) - TRAP
Roy's mate gets a mention this week and it is the help the 750 coaches who are bringing him in. Yes, his 130 last week was super-impressive, but prior to that Gothard was carrying scores of 37, 37 and 44. The definition of ‘dangerous areas'.
Most traded in
- Charlie Banfield (MID/FWD, $310,000)
- Jack Ison (MID, $325,000)
- Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $967,000)
- Darcy Cameron (RUC, $816,000)
- Zach Merrett (MID, $1,042M)
Premium players are on the shopping list this week with coaches opting for the newly crowned defender Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $967,000) as one of their main targets. Any player you trade in this week has a bye coming up, but at least Geelong's bye is the last one in round 16.
Coming off a big 148, it's no surprise that Fantasy coaches are chasing Zach Merrett (MID, $1,042M). With match-ups against West Coast, Carlton and Melbourne leading into his bye, Merrett is certainly a star worth chasing.
Most traded out
- Lachie McAndrew (RUC, $751,000)
- Josh Rachele (MID/FWD, $720,000)
- Leo Lombard (FWD, $513,000)
- Brayden Cook (MID/FWD, $686,000)
- Dan Houston (DEF, $860,000)
It wasn't that long ago when Josh Rachele (MID/FWD, $720,000) and Dan Houston (DEF, $860,000) were deemed as "mid-priced must-haves" ... how things have changed.
Rachele's time in the middle has dried up and he has now averaged 66 in his past five games. When we have players like Sullivan Robey who has averaged 81 in his past three games, players like Rachele can be moved on.
With scores of 43 and 69 in the past two weeks, Houston is failing to hit the scores we need. Even though he has two nice match-ups leading into his bye, his breakeven of 135 is far from achievable.
Draft: One-week wonders
A strategy in draft is to find one-week streaming options. This means, finding a player who has low ownership (most likely in the free agents) and an option for a one-week play. You may require a player like this to fill any holes in your team while you wait for an injured player to return or for one of your players to gain dual-position status.
Here are some players with low ownership that might be worth a punt on for this week.
Riley Bice (DEF) v Richmond – After scoring 104 last week against the Cats, it only gets easier this week against the Tigers. Bice is available in 65 per cent of draft leagues and last year against Richmond he scored 93. Very handy!
Rory Lobb (DEF) v Collingwood – Lobb is the Bulldogs' No.1 ruck. He scored 102 last week in the role and has now attended 82 per cent of the team's CBAs in the last two weeks. Sitting in under five per cent of draft leagues – he's a sneaky option.
Brent Daniels (MID/FWD) v Melbourne – Brent is back! Even though he can be a little hit and miss on his day, he's perfect as a FWD option who attended 77 per cent of his team's CBAs last week. Coming off 106, Daniels sits in 29 per cent of leagues.
Live Teams Show
The Traders will be live from 6.15pm AEST on Thursday to cover all the important ins and outs as teams are announced. They break down the popular trades, discuss captains and answer all your burning questions. Watch the Live Teams Show every Thursday night via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App and ask your questions in the comments.
Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Calvin's best captains
Your captain scores you double points and as always, we need all the points we can get. Make sure you tune in tonight when the Traders go live at 6:15pm on afl.com.au or via the AFL Live Official App to see who Calvin has in his top-5 and who the Traders are locking in as their captain options for the round ahead.
Get expert advice from The Traders during the season in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on X and Instagram and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.
