RUMOURS are flying around the AFL Fantasy community, so expect some big changes when teams are announced on Thursday night.

The biggest talking point is the fact that Tom De Koning is out for Friday night’s clash against Sydney due to a larynx injury. It’s safe to say he won’t be singing on Australian Idol anytime soon.

In other news, Jason Horne-Francis missed training during the week due to illness, Nick Daicos continues to manage hip and pectoral injuries and Zach Reid sent a scare through Bomberland after copping a nasty knee to the back at training. While all three are named to play, there’s never a dull moment in AFL Fantasy.

So … grab your snacks, hold your trades and join us, The Traders, when we go live tonight at 6:15pm on AFL.com.au or via the AFL Live Official App.

Trap or treat?

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

Rowan Marshall (RUCK, $921,000) – TREAT
Yes … I doubled check that price and he won’t get any cheaper than this. Not only does Marshall have a great match-up, he has the ‘nice bye’ in round 13 that St Kilda only shares with Fremantle.

Luke Ryan (DEF, $880,000) – TREAT
I don’t want to sit on the fence with this one, but the numbers don’t lie. Ryan has now averaged 105 in his past three games, averaging nine marks per game. He’s down $168k and has a breakeven of 64.

James Peatling (MID/FWD, $797,000) – TREAT
At the start of the year, Peatling wasn’t getting the midfield time he desired. However, with Matt Crouch on the sidelines, he has averaged 70 per cent of the CBAs and scored 117 last week.

Miles Bergman (DEF/MID, $676,000) – TRAP
Bergman had a tagging role last week and as a result, he played as a full-time midfielder and scored 112. However, before that he scored 55, 43, 33 and 52. You need to be confident that this role remains.

Mattaes Phillipou (MID/FWD, $662,000) – TRAP
Are people going too early trading in Phillipou? Yes, he scored 73 last week but the role wasn’t there. He played forward and didn’t attend a centre bounce. This should change, but I’m waiting to see more.

Most traded in

• Cooper Simpson (FWD, $260,000)
• Saad El-Hawli (DEF/MID, $312,000)
• Nic Martin (DEF/FWD, $991,000)
• Mattaes Phillipou (MID/FWD, $662,000)
• Tom Green (MID, $1.04M)

A huge key to success in AFL Fantasy is cash generation. This mainly comes from rookies and grabbing the right ones at the right time is essential. However, trading a rookie to a rookie that isn’t going to play is not how cash is generated.

Cooper Simpson (FWD, $260,000) was impressive last week coming off the half-back for the Dockers for his score of 59. He appears to have the ability to score 70 on a weekly basis and needs to be at the top of the shopping list this week.

The best of the rest must be Saad El-Hawli (DEF/MID, $312,000). Even though El-Hawli scored 82 last week in a Fantasy friendly game, this was the first time he avoided starting as the substitute in his four games. His vest days may not be a thing of the past, which makes him a bench option only.

Most traded out

• Riley Bice (DEF, $666,000)
• Caleb Daniel (MID/FWD, $809,000)
• Xavier Lindsay (MID, $540,000)
• Jayden Short (DEF, $872,000)
• Clayton Oliver (MID, $879,000)

That’s the order … Riley Bice (DEF, $666,000) goes before Caleb Daniel (MID/FWD, $809,000) this week based on match-up alone. Daniel faces Richmond this week and as we know, they have given up more points than any other team this year.

From all reports, Jayden Short (DEF, $872,000) should be right to play this week and therefore doesn’t need to be traded. Although he might get you to a bigger and better player, surely he isn’t that high on your priority list of players to move on.

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.

Charlie Comben (DEF) v Richmond – In deeper drafts, consider Comben in this easy match-up. Not only is he coming off 82, he scored 87 against the Tigers in round 21 last season. 80-plus incoming.

Cam Mackenzie (MID) v Gold Coast – Currently, the Suns are the No.1 easiest team for midfielders to score against. Mackenzie is coming off a nice 90 and should get a little boost on his score tonight.

Ned Reeves (RUCK) v Gold Coast– Tonight, Reeves is in for Meek, and he only features in 12 per cent of draft leagues. Adding to this, rumours are also circulating that Witts could be a late out.

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.

Jordan Dawson v Collingwood @ the MCG, SAT 1:20pm AEST
Collingwood is one of Dawson’s favourite teams for multiple reasons. Firstly, they don’t tag, he loves the MCG and he has dominated them in the past with previous scores of 117, 172 and 112.

Tom Green v Fremantle @ ENGIE Stadium, SAT 4:15pm AEST
Green is coming off a season-high 131 and even scored 122 against the Dockers last year. He returns home where he has a lowest score of 107 in his past six games and should be great again.

Jack Macrae v West Coast @ Optus Stadium, SUN 4:40pm AEST
Can the Saints win? If the answer is yes then Macrae could be a great option for the captaincy badge. He has averaged 122 in St Kilda’s wins this year, which is 38 more than when they lose.

Live Teams Show

The Traders will be live tonight to cover all the important ins and outs as teams are announced. They break down the popular trades, discuss captains and answer all your burning questions. Watch the Live Teams Show every Thursday night via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App and ask your questions in the comments.

Calvin’s best captains

No.1 – Tristan Xerri v Richmond @ the MCG, SUN 1.10pm AEST
Late last year when Xerri went against the Tigers, he simply dominated with a huge 150. This isn’t off the cards to happen again after his recent form of 116, 121, 122 and 116.

No.2 – Rowan Marshall v West Coast @ Optus Stadium, SUN 4.40pm AEST
Last year, Marshall had 118 and 96 against the Eagles and there is no easier match-up for rucks. Recently against the Eagles we have seen Toby Nankervis (93), Max Gawn (158) and Lloyd Meek (131) all score with ease.

No.3 – Dayne Zorko v Melbourne @ the Gabba, SUN 3.20pm AEST
Not only has Zorko averaged 120 in his last three games, he returns home where his record is unlike no other. Defenders have been scoring plenty against the Demons and Zorko will do the same.

No.4 – Harry Sheezel v Richmond @ the MCG, SUN 1.10pm AEST
Sheezel has scored 100 and 139 in his last two games against Richmond and will be huge again. The Tigers have given up the most 100-plus scores this year and the points will be flowing once again.

No.5 – Lachie Whitfield v Fremantle @ Engie Stadium, SAT 4.15pm AEST
Whitfield has only played at Engie Stadium twice this year for scores of 139 and 99. Last year at home, he scored 100-plus in eight of his nine games and even had 115 against the Dockers.