NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 16, 2026
Last updated: Jan 15, 2026, 11:57PM | Published: Jan 15, 2026, 8:01AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on January 16, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers 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 January 16 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate features the following match-ups:
- Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Atlanta Hawks
- Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
- Detroit Pistons vs Phoenix Suns
- Dallas Mavericks vs Utah Jazz
- Golden State Warriors vs New York Knicks
- San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Los Angeles Lakers 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 come up with some of the most reliable DFS projections available.
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $23,800 | 63.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Tyler Kolek (NYK, PG) | $6,000 | 25.2 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA, C) | $10,180 | 18.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Williams (DAL, PG) | $9,660 | 34.7 | 3.6 |
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'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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $23,800 | 63.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Tyler Kolek (NYK) | $6,000 | 25.2 | 4.2 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $11,830 | 22.8 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Williams (DAL) | $9,660 | 34.7 | 3.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Porter (MIL) | $15,140 | 44.3 | 2.9 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $13,620 | 44.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Norman Powell (MIA) | $13,670 | 28.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Klay Thompson (DAL) | $7,970 | 25.4 | 3.2 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $18,470 | 49.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $8,880 | 29.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | LeBron James (LAL) | $19,980 | 45.7 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Dunn (PHX) | $6,000 | 17.5 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,430 | 60.3 | 3 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $10,870 | 36 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR) | $11,980 | 24.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $7,970 | 23.9 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,430 | 60.3 | 3 |
| Value | Luka Garza (BOS) | $6,840 | 21.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $10,180 | 18.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dwight Powell (DAL) | $6,000 | 18.4 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Tyler Kolek. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić 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 Brandon Williams.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kel'el Ware 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 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 slate. 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.
