STEVE Johnson will cost NAB AFL Fantasy coaches a whopping $641,600 at the beginning of next season – more than any other player in the League.

But will he be worth it?

The Geelong star averaged 118.38 points per game in 2013, ranked No.1 in the AFL ahead even of long-time Fantasy kings Gary Ablett and Dane Swan.

Johnson reeled in seven scores of 129 or more this year, including a best of 156 against Melbourne in round 16.

However, due to a mix of injury and suspension, the three-time All Australian played only 16 home and away season games.

His total score of 1,894 points ranked No.50 in the AFL, just ahead of North Melbourne vice-captain Drew Petrie, whose overall average was 85.7.

And the interrupted year wasn't a one-off.

In the nine seasons since 2005, Johnson has played all 22 home and away games only once (in 2008), and has played fewer than 20 games six times.

At age 30, he is likely to be carefully managed by coach Chris Scott and the Cats' fitness staff next year.

He has also been classified as a midfielder only for 2014, losing the dual position status his coaches enjoyed this year.

The pay-off for having Johnson in your team is sure to be huge when he is on the field, but can you afford to have more than $600,000 sitting on your bench if he goes in and out?

At the other end of the price scale, there are several young Geelong players pushing for a greater senior opportunity following the club's exodus of veterans in the off-season.

Keep a particularly close eye on Billie Smedts ($292,300), George Horlin-Smith ($284,000), George Burbury ($222,400) and Lincoln McCarthy ($135,500) during the NAB Challenge as they jostle for positions.

All four have the potential to provide strong Fantasy value should they cement a place in Scott's line-up.

Forgotten ruckman Hamish McIntosh ($344,700) shapes as another potential bargain.

The former Kangaroo did not play a game in 2013 due to injury, but has been impressing on the training track so far this summer.

If fit, he is likely to be the Cats' No.1 ruckman, and could have the capacity to average in the low 90s, as he did in 2009 and 2012.

Alongside Johnson, some other key Cats have also been the subject of position changes.

After a big 2013 in which he averaged 94.7 and became a hugely popular Fantasy selection as a forward, Mathew Stokes ($513,100) has been re-classified as a midfielder.

Jimmy Bartel ($514,900) is now a defender/midfielder, rather than a forward/midfielder – a change that should not affect his Fantasy popularity, given he averaged 95 last year.

And Allen Christensen ($470,600) has lost his dual position status.

He'll be a midfielder in 2014, not a midfielder/forward.

Pre-register for AFL Fantasy now to receive access to the full list of player prices, ahead of the official launch of the game at the end of January.

Click back each day to AFL.com.au to see what the AFL Fantasy guns will cost you in 2014 and where the bargains are to be found. Tomorrow, our series concludes with Hawthorn.