NBA Early Tuesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 20, 2026
Last updated: Jan 19, 2026, 9:58AM | Published: Jan 19, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Early Tuesday DFS contest kicks off at 5:10am AEDT on January 20, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 20 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Early Tuesday slate includes the following match-ups:
- San Antonio Spurs vs Utah Jazz
- Atlanta Hawks vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- New York Knicks vs Dallas Mavericks
- Washington Wizards vs LA Clippers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 find the best picks on Tuesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, PF/C) | $20,340 | 63.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Keldon Johnson (SAS, SF) | $10,020 | 33.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Klay Thompson (DAL, SG) | $10,750 | 19.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS, SG/PG) | $8,190 | 24.1 | 2.9 |
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
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | James Harden (LAC) | $20,590 | 53.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $13,630 | 44.6 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Miles McBride (NYK) | $11,240 | 22.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,190 | 24.1 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $18,190 | 50.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $13,630 | 44.6 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Klay Thompson (DAL) | $10,750 | 19.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,190 | 24.1 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cooper Flagg (DAL) | $14,680 | 40.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $10,020 | 33.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $12,400 | 22.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Justin Champagnie (WAS) | $9,450 | 27 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,340 | 63.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,340 | 63.4 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $16,350 | 36.3 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $8,530 | 24.8 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,340 | 63.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,340 | 63.4 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jusuf Nurkić (UTA) | $17,130 | 31.7 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $9,580 | 25.7 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Early Tuesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Keldon Johnson. 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, check out our cheapie options, including Dylan Harper.
On the other hand, according to our model, Klay Thompson is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Early Tuesday slate closes at 5:10am AEDT on Tuesday. 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 Tuesday 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 Tuesday 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.
