THE FANTASY discussion this week has centred around under-priced premiums and selecting players who, hopefully, won’t be tagged during the run home.

Taggers are once again a hot topic after Caleb Serong — who was flying — got brutally shut down last week, scoring just 46. In the same game, his partner-in-crime, Jordan Clark, suffered the same fate with the same score.

Leading this sinister syndicate is Sydney, the undisputed kings of the tagging underworld. These tagging villains are not alone and across the League there are other members of this troublesome society, like Marcus Windhager and Toby Bedford. You’ll find them lurking in the shadows, watching, waiting … however, their weakness is their predictability.

So, make sure you know what these devious villains are up to, and what evil plans they have in store for your premium players each and every week.

Trap or treat?

Here are some of the traps to avoid and some treats worth considering for the round ahead.

Zak Butters (MID, $947,000) – TREAT
Under-priced premiums have been the Fantasy flavour of the week and they don’t come much sweeter than Butters fresh off 119. He has a great match-up this week and dare I say it, he could even be a captain option.

Lachie Whitfield (DEF, $942,000) – TREAT
Whitfield has a breakeven of 149 and will be cheaper next week. However, many Fantasy coaches are going early on the defender who will return from a two-week break. He has a great run home and is a player we all need.

Zach Merrett (MID, $938,000) – TRAP
‘Back the truck up, Calvin? Merrett went 149 against the Tigers in round 11’. That is correct, my friend, but after this game he could have a bunch of tags coming his way. He’s cheap, and now you’ve been warned.

Jack Martin (FWD, $599,000) – TRAP
Sitting just outside the top-10 most traded-in this week is Jack Martin, who has had a significant role change that has seen him average 89 in his past three games. But so far this season, we’ve seen players like this come and go.

George Stevens (MID, $280,000) – TREAT
Stevens was impressive in his debut last week for his score of 84. He attended 69 per cent of the CBAs but there are two flags. Bailey Smith didn’t play and Stevens plays for Geelong, where no one is ever safe.

Most traded in

•    George Stevens (MID, $280,000)
•    Zach Merrett (MID, $938,000)
•    Errol Gulden (MID, $1,073,000)
•    Colby McKercher (DEF/MID, $833,000)
•    Jack Macrae (MID/FWD, $934,000)

The forward-line is once again becoming a tough position to fill, and many coaches are turning back to Jack Macrae (MID/FWD, $934,000). He’s coming off scores of 123, 89 and 104, and has a great run home.

A return to half-back was a stoke of genius by the Kangaroos coaching staff as Colby McKercher (DEF/MID, $833,000) has found his feet, his confidence and is back to his piggish ways. Even though his price got as low as $579,000, he’s still cheap based on what he is capable of.

Most traded out

•    Jye Caldwell (MID, $1.04M)
•    Ned Long (MID, $870,000)
•    Tristan Xerri (RUCK, $999,000)
•    Zak Johnson (MID, $488,000)
•    Caleb Serong (MID, $998,000)

I open the laptop, click ‘stats centre’ >’Coaches’ Choice’ > ‘most traded out’ … and see Tristan Xerri (RUCK, $999,000) sitting at No.3. I hit refresh, and refresh again. Yep, it’s true!

Xerri has only had one triple figure score in his past six games and is averaging 95 in his last three. The big man copped a head knock last week and now meets Gawn and Grundy in his next two games. Maybe these smart coaches are onto something …

The news of ankle surgery has ended the hopes for Jye Caldwell (MID, $1.04M) owners after he went down late last Saturday afternoon on a score of 79. He’s now a forced traded, but has a price tag that can get you whoever you want.

Draft: One-week wonders

A strategy in Draft is to find one-week streaming options. This means finding a player who has low ownership (most likely on the waiver wire) and is an option for a one-week play. You may require a player like this to fill any holes in your team while you wait for an injured player to return or for one of your players to gain dual-position status.

Here are some players with low ownership that might be worth a punt on for this week.

Tom McCartin (DEF) v St Kilda – The Saints have always been a team we target for defenders and McCartin is a great pick in deep drafts. In his last four games he has averaged 77 and even posted 104 and 94 during that time.

Jack Ross (FWD/MID) v Essendon – Ross has been getting CBAs and has now averaged 77 in his last three games. He has scored 80 and 103 in his last two games against the Bombers and his MID/FWD status is an added bonus.

Nate Caddy (FWD) v Richmond – Coming off back-to-back scores of 77, Caddy should get a little boost on that against the Tigers this week. He’s a hidden gem and can only be found in three per cent of leagues.

Draft: Captain smokies

In Draft, every player is unique so it’s important to think outside the box when it comes to finding a captain. Here are some options to consider if you’re a lucky owner.

Noah Anderson v Collingwood @ People First Stadium, FRI 7:40pm AEST
This is not usually a match-up we target but Anderson’s record against Collingwood is second-to-none. In his last four games against them he has scored 140, 123, 116 and 113. Gun!

Tom Green v Geelong @ Engie Stadium, SAT 4:15pm AEST
Green scored 133 against the Cats earlier this year and returns home where he has averaged 111 in his last ten games. Geelong can give up plenty of points and Green is ready to cash in.

Nic Martin v Richmond @ the MCG, SAT 7:35pm AEST 
After coming off scores of 74 and 85, Martin is strictly a VC option only. He needs to be, based on the fact he went 166 against the Tigers in round 11. High risk … high reward!