LIKE THE top players aiming to have their best seasons, our resident AFL Fantasy experts, The Traders, have returned ahead of schedule with a new episode of their award-winning podcast.

Fresh off a silver medal for Best Sports Podcast in the Australian Podcast Awards, Roy, Calvin and Warnie look at the early Fantasy news ahead of launch later this month.

They have inside word on the new salary cap and prices which are currently being formulated for Fantasy Classic. The most interesting names from the updated positions for the new season are discussed and ranked.

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AFL.com.au's draft expert Callum Twomey joins the show to name the players who could feature early in 2023 and provide good numbers for Fantasy coaches. Whether you're looking for some cash cows in Classic or some players to add to your Keeper League Draft, there are plenty of names to consider with Will Ashcroft featuring at the top of the list.

The biggest move of the off-season from a Fantasy perspective was Tom Mitchell. The Fantasy Pig has himself a new 'sty' at Collingwood and he shares about his first few weeks at his new club and what coaches can expect from him next season.

Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

In this week's episode …

1:15 - The boys celebrate their silver medal in the Australian Podcast Awards.

4:00 - $15.5m is the confirmed salary cap as the prices are currently being calculated.

11:20 - Lachie Whitfield has lost DEF status.

17:30 - The top 15 defenders are ranked via Draft with Nick Daicos one of Roy's big improvers.

23:00 - Josh Dunkley is ranked as the No. 1 forward, but Calvin has gone against the grain by not naming Tim Taranto as second.

26:45 - Finally, Isaac Heeney is ranked as a top-five forward based on average.

31:20 - AFL.com.au's draft guru Callum Twomey discusses the new crop of rookies.

37:45 - Jhye Clark could be a great Keeper League stash.

42:05 - You can't go past Will Ashcroft as the best Draftee for Fantasy in 2023.

44:30 - After hitting the track early, Tom Mitchell updates us after joining the Pies.

50:30 - Who has impressed Mitchell at training?

55:40 - What can Mitchell average this year?

59:00 - There is plenty of content to come this pre-season.

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