I think for all the names that paid off last year if you went back over the last decade the vast majority of 200-300k starting selections have failed, lot of recency bias with people loading that price range for mine, dont get players the quality of Ziebell and Impey as bargains every year either.
A lot of years you simply wouldn't have many players in that price bracket that are potentially relevant. I remember one other year that a lot were picking 3 of these types up forward. I'm pretty sure Fasolo was one of them? Maybe Petrie was another?
We want players that have changed roles and/or clubs, or are returning from injury. There are so many this year that "could" be good picks, so at least there will be exit strategies if some don't start as expected.
Up forward there is Rayner, Coleman (d/f), Cogs (f/m), Phillips (f/m), McGovern, Curnow and Brodie (f/m) between $224K and $278K. In the mids there is Berry, Caldwell and Polec (plus the 3 f/m's) . Down back there is Milera, Bowey and Coleman with the d/f.
They won't all be good picks, but you'd be brave to say that none of them will. The young guys like Phillips, Brodie and Bowey are the higher risk options, which most will stay away from. Cogs, Rayner, Berry, Curnow and Milera are all returning from injury, so really just need to stay on the park to at least be reasonable stepping stones. They will almost certainly score better than rookies, and should provide greater job security. It's all between the ears with Polec, but if he's fair dinkum he should average 85 and make $200K.
Caldwell is high risk because of who he would be replacing in your team (top end rookie). But he has the role and body to score significantly better than the likes of JHF - IF he stays fit.
To me, Coleman and McGovern are similiar options (price and role change), and yet the % owned suggests they are miles apart. Gov will take more intercept marks and is a very good kick (may take some kickouts). Granted his history doesn't scream pick me, but the penny seems to have dropped this preseason. His brother was a hack forward until he wasn't.