Round 6 of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season gets underway this Thursday night with another huge daily fantasy contest on offer from Draftstars with over $60,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
Carlton will host Collingwood this Thursday night as we kick off Round 6 and it is a genuine must-win for both sides but for completely different reasons. Carlton arrive at 1-4 and under enormous pressure, having failed to close out games with characteristic second-half fade-outs that have cost them three leads this season. While Collingwood are sitting at 2-3 and need a win to stay in touch with the top eight and keep their finals hopes alive this year.
The Blues will welcome back Jacob Weitering and Harry Dean from concussion protocols, which should boost their defence that has been conceding huge scores this season. The Magpies have confirmed that Jordan De Goey and Steele Sidebottom will be added to their injury list. The Pies have won four straight against Carlton and head in as 11.5-point favourites. Showers are forecast for Thursday night at the MCG which historically suppresses scoring and should keep this a contested, low-scoring affair — four of Collingwood's five games have already gone under the total this season.
Draftstars are offering a number of different contests to suit your style, some of these include:
AFL $60,000+ Blues vs Magpies
AFL $5,000+ Blues vs Magpies High Roller ($150 Entry)
AFL $3,000+ Blues vs Magpies Mini ($2 Entry)
AFL $2,000+ Blues vs Magpies Micro (50c Entry)
Also this season the AFL Star is back for 2026 with a massive $1 million prize pool! Win your way into the Final by winning a Golden Ticket in a range of qualifiers running every weekend!
If you're new to the Daily Fantasy Sports scene and want to join in on the fun, simply join Draftstars via this link!
AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round Six – Carlton vs Collingwood
AFL Fantasy Round Six - Thursday: Where to Attack?
With most teams having now played 5 games we will stary to focus more on the 2026 statistical trends going forward.
Collingwood have been leaking fantasy points to defenders this season, giving up the most points in the league to designated kickers (at a whopping 16 points above league average) and attacking half backs/wings (also a huge 15 points above league average). While this is based on a relatively small sample size, it is too hard to ignore in this single game matchup with the Blues - a team that has historically played uncontested possession football across their back line.
Carlton, on the other hand,, has given up above average scoring to inside midfielders at just over 1 point per game above league average and almost 10 points per game above average to general forwards. Given the Magpies are favourites in this game, it creates the perfect game script for a single game slate.
Game Script – Carlton backs, Collingwood midfielders and forwards
AFL Fantasy Round Six - Thursday: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Angus Anderson ($9,970) is one of the most obvious value plays on the entire slate following his outstanding AFL debut against Fremantle last week where he posted 92 fantasy points. The mature-age midfielder delivered exactly what Craig McRae promised — elite tackle intensity and contested clearance work — and in potential wet conditions at the MCG this week, those very skills become even more valuable. As noted, Carlton have given up above average points to inside midfielders this season and Anderson attend 50% of the Magpies centre bunces in his debut.
Zac Williams ($9,620) is an option as a value play on this slate given the role change that has emerged from Carlton's midfield shake-up. With George Hewett dropped last week, Carlton reshuffled through the middle and Williams stepped into an elevated centre bounce role — attending 45% of Carlton's CBAs against Adelaide. He’s a versatile utility who originally joined Carlton as a midfielder at GWS before moving through half back and forward, and that midfield role is where his fantasy ceiling is highest. His last three scores of 64, 61 and 69 reflect a player who was operating in a more restricted role earlier in the season, but the CBA uplift last week is the clearest signal yet that with Hewett out or in a reduced role, Williams is being trusted to do more through the centre.
Jamie Elliott ($7,690) is a player whose current price is significantly disconnected from what he is capable of delivering, and the matchup this week provides the clearest opportunity yet for him to remind everyone why he won the Gordon Coventry Trophy last season and averaged 70 fantasy points per game. His current price of $7,690 reflects only his slow start to 2026 with scores of 49, 49 and 26 rather than his true scoring profile. The matchup against Carlton this week gives him one of the best opportunities to bounce back and get 2026 on track with the Blues have been giving up just under 10 points per game above league average to general forwards through the first 5 games of the year.
AFL Fantasy Round Six - Thursday: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Marc Pittonet ($11,990) is having the best fantasy season of his career and the matchup this week makes him very hard to leave out. With Tom De Koning's departure over the summer, Pittonet has inherited the undisputed number one ruck role at Carlton for the first time — no rotation, no competition, full game time every week — and the results have been immediate. Scores of 104 and 85 across his last two full performances tell the story. Collingwood are giving up over two points above league average to the ruck position in 2026 and Pittonet is perfectly placed to exploit it.
AFL Fantasy Round Six - Thursday: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Nick Daicos ($17,150) is the first name written into any lineup on this slate and it’s not close. He has been the most dominant individual fantasy performer in the competition this season, posting 96, 140 and 127 across his last three games for an average of 121 points. He racked up 36 disposals against Carlton when they last met and with the Blues consistently unable to apply sustained defensive pressure through four quarters, his ceiling in this matchup is elite. He’s a lock regardless of which side of the ledger you are building from.
Nic Newman ($13,540) is one of the standout premium plays on this slate and the matchup data makes him almost impossible to leave out. The Carlton half-back missed the entire 2025 season with a ruptured patella tendon and is effectively a new recruit this year — his price of $13,540 reflects that absence and is a significant discount on the player who averaged 102.1 fantasy points in 2024. He posted 92 points in his first game back this season and has fit right into the role of designated kicker for the blues taking 7 kick ins against the Crows last week. The matchup this week is exceptional and the most important number on this entire slate for Newman, specifically, is Collingwood have been giving up over 16 points per game above league average to the designated kicker position in 2026, Lock and load.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Fantasy Round Six - Thursday
Weather Report for Thursday 16th April
20 Degrees and possible shower (in afternoon and evening)
AFL Betting Markets Round Six - Thursday
Carlton ($2.63) vs Collingwood ($1.49)
Points: 157.5
Line: -11.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Thursday Preview and Betting Tips. Our experts break down the game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
