BBL Stars vs Thunder Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 28, 2025
Last updated: Dec 28, 2025, 12:59AM | Published: Dec 27, 2025, 10:59PM
Draftstars Australia's BBL Stars vs Thunder DFS contest commences at 7:15pm AEDT on December 28, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for BBL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' BBL contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on December 28 and beyond.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the best BBL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more BBL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed players from each team in the Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder match-up to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Glenn Maxwell (MLS, BAT/BOW) | $18,500 | 66 | 3.6 |
| Value | Joe Clarke (MLS, BAT) | $9,500 | 38.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Cameron Bancroft (SYT, BAT) | $14,800 | 30.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Hilton Cartwright (MLS, BAT) | $8,800 | 29.8 | 3.4 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options refer to the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
BAT (Batsman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Glenn Maxwell (MLS) | $18,500 | 66 | 3.6 |
| Value | Joe Clarke (MLS) | $9,500 | 38.5 | 4 |
| Fade | Cameron Bancroft (SYT) | $14,800 | 30.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Hilton Cartwright (MLS) | $8,800 | 29.8 | 3.4 |
BOW (Bowler)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Glenn Maxwell (MLS) | $18,500 | 66 | 3.6 |
| Value | Glenn Maxwell (MLS) | $18,500 | 66 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Reece Topley (SYT) | $16,600 | 41 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan Merlo (MLS) | $8,000 | 19.1 | 2.4 |
Conclusion
When building your BBL Stars vs Thunder teams, consider starting with a value player like Joe Clarke. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Glenn Maxwell is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Hilton Cartwright.
On the other hand, according to our model, Cameron Bancroft is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' BBL Stars vs Thunder slate closes at 7:15pm AEDT on Sunday. ENTER NOW!
As with all BBL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven BBL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the BBL Stars vs Thunder slate. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your BBL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised BBL Stars vs Thunder line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
