AFL Fantasy 2026 Forwards Preview | Keeper League Breakouts, Value & Stash Options

The pre-season rolls on, and we’re back with another episode of The Keeper League Podcast, this time turning our attention to AFL Fantasy forwards — all through a Keeper League lens.

In this episode, we’re joined by original co-host Kaes as our special guest, bringing his insight and experience to what’s shaping up as one of the most important positional conversations heading into 2026.

With the forward line always throwing up plenty of volatility, role changes, and breakout potential, we take a step back and look at how coaches should be thinking about forwards in draft and keeper leagues — balancing short-term scoring with long-term value, job security, and upside. We discuss what makes a forward worth investing in, how to identify the next big breakout, and where the traps might sit across the line.

We cover:

• How to assess forwards in draft and keeper leagues
• What roles and stats translate best to consistent forward scoring
• Undervalued options and potential bounce-back candidates
• Breakout forwards and younger players worth tracking
• Long-term stash options for keeper formats
• How to approach forward trades, holds, and depth/bench planning
• Listener questions round out the episode, touching on forward depth, keeper value, and how aggressive coaches should be when building out their forward line for both the short and long term.

This episode is focused entirely on draft and keeper leagues — not salary cap formats — with analysis designed to help you make smarter decisions now while keeping one eye firmly on the future.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring extra discussion, deeper analysis, and additional strategy.

Existing members can listen here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

New members can sign up here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links:
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
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Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com