What happened last season?

Average points ranking: Third
Top three averaging players: Marcus Bontempelli (111.3), Tim English (110.7), Tom Liberatore (99.6)
Biggest price increase: Sam Davidson (+$359,000)
Biggest price drop: Adam Treloar (-$213,000)

List changes

IN: Connor Budarick (trade, Gold Coast), Lachie Carmichael (No.21 draft pick), Will Darcy (No.60 draft pick, father-son), Louis Emmett (No.27 draft pick)

OUT: Taylor Duryea (retired), Jason Johannisen (delisted), Liam Jones (retired), Caleb Poulter (delisted), Anthony Scott (delisted), Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (trade, Gold Coast)

Fixture watch

It’s a difficult start for the Dogs with three of the toughest teams to score Fantasy points on - Lions, Giants and Crows - in the first three weeks. Although they play Brisbane in Opening Round, it means they may not have the points flowing early before their round three bye. This may mean that we consider the premium Bulldogs as upgrade targets in Fantasy Classic. The positive is that their draw opens post-early bye and their round 16 bye, the last of the mid-season byes, makes for an attractive 12-game run.

So, who should coaches be considering in 2026?

Track their pre-season

Adam Treloar (MID/FWD, $946,000) played just four games in 2025 for an average of 69.8. His 18 per cent discount in Classic is applied to his 2024 average of 110, making him priced at 90.2. Is this enough value for a player turning 33 at the start of the season? Coaches might be cautious considering his injury history and his role that has seen him spend more time forward rather than attending the centre bounces as he has done at the peak of his Fantasy career.

In saying this, he has every opportunity to produce numbers as one of the top forwards in 2026 provided he’s on the park. Treloar will have that sub-70 average sitting next to his name when coaches are compiling their draft rankings. This places him 33rd of all FWD-eligible players. Surely a top 10 forward on draft day? As Treloar was returning from injury late in the season in the VFL, he racked up 40 disposals and 10 tackles to score 155 Fantasy points. Let's hope he has a cracking pre-season.

Bargain basement

The Swans chose not to match the Dogs' bid on Academy product Lachlan Carmichael (DEF/MID, $270,000) on draft night. The half-back racked up plenty of Fantasy points last season across all levels. Carmichael averaged 109 for the Swans in the Coates Talent League, 95 for the Allies at the U18 Championships and scored 80 in his solitary VFL game. If he gets an opportunity to debut, consider him as a cash cow for your squad and one to take a punt on in a keeper league with deeper lists.

Draft sleeper

Making his way from the Suns, Connor Budarick (FWD, $506,000) is an intriguing Fantasy option based on his role. He was moved to the forward line after plying his trade as a defender. The Bulldogs recruited Budarick with the intention to play him as a running defender. With Duryea and Johannisen no longer at the club, there is likely to be opportunity for the former Sun to cement himself in the role that most suits him and that has seen him post scores much better than where his ranking suggests. An average of 65-plus would rank him as a top 50 forward rather than the 137 he is currently placed.

Custom stat star

Every footy fan and Fantasy player knows what a stud Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1,167,000) has been throughout his career. With seven straight seasons averaging 100-plus, a personal best season achieving 117 points per game in 2023, he’s a player we all end up with in Fantasy Classic and top target in the first round of Fantasy Draft. The introduction of preset scoring options in draft makes the Bont the hottest property in the game if you choose 'Prestige'. He averaged 141.7 in this scoring system that rewards players with a different range of statistics. Tristan Xerri was the only other player to average more than 130 last season with 135.8.

Buyer beware

Were you a Bailey Dale (DEF, $965,000) owner in 2025? The high of his 49-disposal game that netted him 154 Fantasy points to the 64 the following week and a 59 and 60 shortly after, it was a rollercoaster ride for Dale. As someone who racks up plenty of the ball and can be damaging off half-back, he sometimes attracts attention from opponents. This may limit his output and has seen him switched into different positions, whether on the wing or in the forward line. Although Dale scored 100-plus in 11 matches last season, it was the nine games with scores under 80 for an average of 67.2 that left his coaches frustrated.

With an all-new platform, AFL Fantasy Classic will launch in late January. Fantasy Draft is already available on web, but the app will also launch in the new year.

Get expert advice from The Traders during the pre-season in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on X and Instagram and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.