Each week we use our AFL Fantasy Projections (available to members of The Keeper League) to find some of the best captain options for your sides.
There are always some very obvious captain options, but we’ll try to dig a little deeper to find less popular options due to the widespread nature of players in keeper leagues. If you have the Uber premiums, then please don’t take this article as advice not to put the Captaincy on them.
For the streamer options, I’ll look at some players who perform well historically against their opponents that may not be automatic selections in your side.
Captains
Stephen Coniglio is a great captain option this week, he averages 107 against the Gold Coast Suns and has averaged 92 to start this season.
Rory Laird won’t be on too many coaches’ Captain radars this week, returning from a hand injury. Laird averages 88 against Port Adelaide and had 103 in the last Showdown.
Darcy Parish only averages 86 against the Melbourne Demons, however, the injury to Merrett makes him the number 1 midfielder at Essendon. Parish had 37 disposals for 115 points on Melbourne in Round 15 last season.
Lachie Neale has started the season strong, currently averaging 132 points. This week he faces North Melbourne. Neale averages 104 against the Kangaroos and had 111 on them in Round 14 last year.
Tom Mitchell averages 108 against Carlton and amassed 133 points on them in Round 10 last season. Mitchell hasn’t scored under 100 against the Blues since 2016 and who can forget the 187 points, he had against them in 2018
Vice-Captain
Jake Lloyd is averaging 106 and had a jaw-dropping 116 on the Western Bulldogs in Round 17 last year. The additional icing on this cake is his 101 average at Marvel Stadium.
Marcus Bontempelli has had a slow start to this season (by his high standards) but The Bont averages 100 against the Sydney Swans and I expect him to lift.
Luke Parker averages 96 against the Western Bulldogs and scored 96 on the Sydney Swans last season. Doesn’t need to do much to lift that and is a great VC option.
Tim English is currently averaging a whopping 104 points and has taken the Western Bulldogs No 1 ruck mantle. In Round 17 last season English amassed 127 points on the Swans.
Streamers
Willem Drew averages 80 in Showdowns and scored 110 points on the Crows when they last met.
Tom Doedee scored 95 points on Port Adelaide in the last Showdown and could easily go 80+ again this Friday.
Josh Battle scored 90 against Richmond in 2021 and is averaging 84 in his new defensive role for St Kilda.
Liam Ryan scored 76 in his first game back for West Coast and had an 81 in last year’s Western Derby.
Harry McKay is my ‘gut feel’ streamer this week. He scored 101 points last round and I think he will monster Hawthorn’s Sam Frost.
Want more projections? View the top 20 projected scores of the round here…
