NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 27, 2026
Last updated: Feb 26, 2026, 11:58PM | Published: Feb 26, 2026, 7:59AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on February 27, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on February 27 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate features these games:
- Utah Jazz vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings
- Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Chicago Bulls vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Atlanta Hawks vs Washington Wizards
- LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat
- Brooklyn Nets vs San Antonio Spurs
- Orlando Magic vs Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers vs Charlotte Hornets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $22,290 | 56.1 | 2.5 |
| Value | Corey Kispert (ATL, SF) | $6,190 | 26.4 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Reed Sheppard (HOU, PG) | $10,760 | 22.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL, SF/PF) | $7,430 | 30.9 | 4.2 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $22,290 | 56.1 | 2.5 |
| Value | Dejounte Murray (NOP) | $10,100 | 37.8 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Reed Sheppard (HOU) | $10,760 | 22.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Collin Sexton (CHI) | $9,020 | 30.5 | 3.4 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $17,800 | 50.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | John Konchar (UTA) | $7,380 | 25.4 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Nique Clifford (SAC) | $11,250 | 24 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Ayo Dosunmu (MIN) | $7,830 | 26.6 | 3.4 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $16,550 | 47.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Corey Kispert (ATL) | $6,190 | 26.4 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $12,950 | 28.1 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $7,430 | 30.9 | 4.2 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zion Williamson (NOP) | $16,040 | 47.4 | 3 |
| Value | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $7,430 | 30.9 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Jarace Walker (IND) | $13,800 | 30.6 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Dominick Barlow (PHI) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $20,430 | 53.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nick Richards (CHI) | $6,880 | 25.8 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $19,970 | 45.1 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Jock Landale (ATL) | $7,130 | 24 | 3.4 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Corey Kispert. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Zaccharie Risacher.
On the other hand, according to our model, Reed Sheppard is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Friday slate closes at 11:10am AEDT on Friday. 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 Friday contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Friday 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.
