If you’re building your AFL Fantasy backline for 2026, you’re probably staring at a sea of options wondering who’s genuinely elite and who’s just riding last year’s momentum. The defender position is always tricky. One role change, one tag, one coaching shift and your premium can become a meandering pest real quick.
What I’ve landed on are six defenders I believe will average the highest in AFL Fantasy this year. Not just good. Not just solid. The absolute best. Let me walk you through each one and why they’ve earned their spot.
Embed from Getty ImagesNasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Let’s start with the obvious. Wanganeen-Milera was the second highest averaging player in AFL Fantasy last season behind only Max Gawn. That alone tells you he’s operating at an elite level.
But here’s what really matters. His form from round 11 onwards. From that point until season’s end, he averaged 117.4. That’s not a hot streak. That’s a player who figured something out and maintained it for half a season.
The concern? He’ll start attracting more attention in 2026. Opposition coaches aren’t stupid. When a player lights up the competition like he did, you adjust. But here’s where I take comfort. When he started getting attention last year, the Saints coaching staff showed they were smart enough to deploy him back behind the ball to get him involved again. They protected his scoring by being flexible with his role.
That adaptability is crucial. It tells me his ceiling isn’t capped by a single game plan. He’s the alpha dog at St Kilda, and they’ll find ways to feed him the ball.
Embed from Getty ImagesConnor Rozee
Rozee presents one of the more fascinating cases heading into 2026, largely because Port Adelaide has a new coach in Josh Carr and we’re still working out exactly how he wants to use his captain.
The stats tell a compelling story though. In 12 games last year where Rozee took a kick in and attended less than 50% of centre bounces, he averaged 107. That’s premium AFL Fantasy defender territory, and it came from him creating play as a rebounder across half back.
I’ve watched enough Port Adelaide to believe they look better with Rozee orchestrating from defence rather than being just another midfielder in the guts. He’s got the vision and skills to unlock their attack from the back half.
The early whispers suggest Carr wants more ball control, which could mean an increase in possessions and uncontested marks for his defenders. That plays right into Rozee’s strengths.
Here’s my take. Regardless of whether he starts forward, back, or through the middle, Rozee will score well enough to be a topline defender. The talent is there. The role scoring is there and has been across multiple seasons and multiple roles. He’s a safe bet for 100+.
Embed from Getty ImagesLachie Whitfield
Whitfield scores AFL Fantasy points for fun. Always has, probably always will.
What separates him from other premiums is his floor. He rarely dishes up poor scores. Last year he had just one score below 80 all season, and even that came when he was injured in the first half and was clearly on track to maintain his 80 plus scoring trend before going down.
His ceiling has been chipped away at slightly with the emergence of teammate Lachie Ash, who’s taken on more responsibility in GWS’s defensive setup. But Whitfield remains the alpha playmaker for the Giants. He’s still the guy they want with the ball in hand when they need to transition from defence to attack.
The word that defines Whitfield’s game is consistency. You’re not picking him hoping for 140’s every other week. You’re picking him because you know he’ll give you 95 to 110 almost every single time he runs out. In a long season where your premiums need to deliver week after week, that consistency is gold.
Embed from Getty ImagesJack Sinclair
Three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and Jack Sinclair averaging over 100.
I’m only half joking. Sinclair has now posted four consecutive seasons averaging between 101 and 102. That’s not luck. That’s not variance. That’s a player who has found his level and sits there comfortably year after year.
The move of Wanganeen-Milera into a more midfield focused role leaves Sinclair as the primary playmaker across St Kilda’s half back. He’ll be the go-to option when they’re rebounding from their defensive 50, and that means volume.
Look, there’s not huge upside here if you’re chasing the next breakout premium. But that’s not what I’m forecasting. I see no reason his scoring deviates from the prior four years. Sometimes in AFL Fantasy strategy, you need the safe plays. Sinclair is one of them. He’ll get you 100 to 102, he’ll do it with minimal fuss, and you can spend your worry tokens elsewhere.
Embed from Getty ImagesLachie Ash
Ash grew to new heights in 2025, lifting his average by 23 points to crack the 100 average mark for the first time in his career. That’s a significant leap and it came from an expanded role at GWS.
He scored 16 tons from 23 games, which shows his scoring has become reliable. But here’s what caught my eye. Only two of those tons went over 120. That means there’s plenty of potential big games still sitting there waiting to be unlocked.
The concern is his fourth quarter fade. In nine games he failed to score 25 points or more in the final term, including two where he went to single figures. That’s either conditioning, role, or game plan related. If it’s conditioning, another pre-season helps. If it’s role or game plan, GWS might need to trust him more late in games.
If a few variables break right for him, better endurance, more fourth quarter involvement, a couple of those ceiling games, then a 105 to 110 averaging season is absolutely within his grasp. He’s got the talent. Now it’s about maximising it across four quarters.
Embed from Getty ImagesColby McKercher
This is my big preseason bolter call.
In the final 12 games of 2025, McKercher was deployed back onto the half back line and both he and North Melbourne looked much more prolific and composed. The numbers back it up. He averaged 94.6 during that stretch, including four tons and four other scores between 91 and 99. That’s borderline premium scoring from a player who’ll likely be priced well below that level.
The key is whether North Melbourne gives him the keys to be their primary option to kick in and create rebounds out of defensive 50. Not Caleb Daniel. I believe they will. McKercher has the composure and skills to be that player, and North needs to back their young talent if they’re serious about climbing the ladder. When he’s given that responsibility, he scores. It’s that simple.
The risk is obvious. He’s young, the team is still developing, and there’s no guarantee the role stays consistent all year. But in AFL Fantasy, the best premiums are often the ones you identify before everyone else does. McKercher fits that profile perfectly.
These six defenders represent the best combination of proven performance, role security, and scoring upside heading into AFL Fantasy 2026. Some are safe plays who’ll deliver consistency week after week. Others offer genuine breakout potential if the conditions align.
Your backline is the foundation of your team. Get it right, and you’re setting yourself up for a strong season. Get it wrong, and you’re scrambling with trades all year.
Choose wisely.