With so many players to choose from, it can be hard to know if you’re making the right decision. So we’ve made things a fraction easier for you and eliminated some high profile players from the mix.
As tens of thousands of footy fans take to creating their AFL Fantasy squads for 2024, many of you are no doubt stressing over certain selections.
So we’ve run an eye over the AFL Fantasy player pool and identified the guys in each position you should avoid; be it injuries concerns, inflated starting prices, and roles within their respective teams that could see them struggle to maintain last season’s average.
By the time you’ve slotted in this season’s MUST HAVE PLAYERS, and used the process of elimination in this story, you’ll be halfway towards constructing a killer Classic team. If you’re brand new to this caper as well, make sure to check out our Guide for Dummies too.
Top AFL Fantasy players to avoid in season 2024
The statistics and AFL Fantasy information in this article is based on afl.com.au‘s version, but is transferable to other fantasy AFL games.
Sam Walsh – Carlton Blues
Position: Midfielder
Price: $854K
Ouch. This may sound like an outlandish first name to bring up on our ‘AFL Fantasy players to avoid’ list, but with Sam Walsh’s injury history and the fact he’s entering this season with ‘on-going back issues’, there’s a little too much unnecessary risk at his price point.
There’s no arguing that he’s in the conversation for one of the best AFL players in the league, but at that cost there are other great midfield options too.
Nat Fyfe – Fremantle Dockers
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Price: $491K
We can all reminisce on the dual-Brownlow Medal winner’s golden years, but it’s best you don’t go chasing vintage Nat Fyfe form this season.
The 32-year-old has only played 16 games over the past two seasons, with injuries well and truly taking control of the Fremantle legend, unfortunately.
Zac Williams – Carlton Blues
Position: Defender
Price: $442K
Returning from two serious injuries, achilles and ACL tears, Zac Williams may take some time to get back to his best. And with Carlton eyeing off a premiership, starting the year with a deep list, they may not want to take too much of gamble on him early in the season.
His value is undoubtedly well placed for those filling out their backlines with a couple of discounted types, but take into account that re-injuries can unfortunately be high for these types of ailments. Hopefully we’re wrong — it’d be great to see Williams get back to his blistering best early this season.
Luke Jackson – Fremantle Dockers
Position: Ruck/Forward
Price: $765K
Although Luke Jackson found some form at the back end of last season, this came in conjunction of fellow Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy going down with an injury.
AFL Fantasy experts are predicting that Jackson may play a lot of footy in the forward line, which will impact both his overall output and also consistency. His price tag likely drops as the season progresses, assuming Darcy stays on the park.
Clayton Oliver – Melbourne Demons
Position: Midfielder
Price: $1.027 M
It’s been a heavy off season for Demons star Clayton Oliver, who has been tangled up in controversy and scrutiny. At one point there was trade chatter and then a reported ultimatum set internally to conform to the team’s standards. It’s a red flag that can’t be ignored.
For the price he’s listed at, on top of the ever-growing list of off-field rumours and stories, it might be best to avoid Oliver this season until you can guarantee he’s worth the $1 million-plus you’ would’ll be spending on him.
Jeremy McGovern – West Coast Eagles
Position: Defender
Price: $616K
At his best, McGovern is a sensational defender and an absolute intercept marking freak. But sadly it seems those days are done, with injuries plaguing the past five years of his career.
Don’t be fooled by the 70 average and cheap price point, the West Coast defender hasn’t topped 15 games over the past four seasons and he’s now into the twilight of his illustrious career.
There’s no question he’ll be busy in that Eagles back six, but there are better options at his position.
