NBA Early Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 16, 2026
Last updated: Mar 15, 2026, 7:14PM | Published: Mar 15, 2026, 8:03AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Early Monday DFS contest starts at 6:40am AEDT on March 16, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on March 16 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Early Monday slate features the following games:
- Toronto Raptors vs Detroit Pistons
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the best NBA fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NBA fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, PF/C) | $19,110 | 57.4 | 3 |
| Value | Kobe Brown (IND, PF) | $6,750 | 24.2 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Jay Huff (IND, C) | $10,320 | 15.8 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | T.J. McConnell (IND, PG) | $8,420 | 27.2 | 3.2 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are 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 highlight 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
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,380 | 55.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | T.J. McConnell (IND) | $8,420 | 27.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Cooper Flagg (DAL) | $14,580 | 38 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (CLE) | $9,300 | 23.3 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,430 | 50 | 2.9 |
| Value | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,430 | 50 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $10,880 | 23.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | AJ Green (MIL) | $6,720 | 17.6 | 2.6 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brandon Ingram (TOR) | $14,130 | 42 | 3 |
| Value | Jarace Walker (IND) | $11,290 | 36.9 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $10,880 | 23.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $9,420 | 27.8 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $19,110 | 57.4 | 3 |
| Value | Kobe Brown (IND) | $6,750 | 24.2 | 3.6 |
| Fade | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $11,620 | 27.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $9,920 | 30.3 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $19,110 | 57.4 | 3 |
| Value | Thomas Bryant (CLE) | $6,930 | 21.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jay Huff (IND) | $10,320 | 15.8 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $9,920 | 30.3 | 3 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Early Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kobe Brown. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including T.J. McConnell.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jay Huff is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Early Monday slate closes at 6:40am AEDT on Monday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NBA DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NBA fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NBA Early Monday contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Early Monday 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.
