NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 16, 2026
Last updated: Jan 15, 2026, 10:57AM | Published: Jan 15, 2026, 8:01AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest begins at 11:00am AEDT on January 16, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 Friday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate includes these games:
- Dallas Mavericks vs Utah Jazz
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets
- Detroit Pistons vs Phoenix Suns
- Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
- Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors vs New York Knicks
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Atlanta Hawks
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $23,800 | 63.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL, SF/PF) | $10,870 | 37.8 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Caleb Love (POR, PG/SG) | $11,240 | 18.5 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Nembhard (DAL, PG) | $7,000 | 23.7 | 3.4 |
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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $23,800 | 63.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Ryan Nembhard (DAL) | $7,000 | 23.7 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Caleb Love (POR) | $11,240 | 18.5 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Williams (DAL) | $9,660 | 30.6 | 3.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $17,910 | 45.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $13,620 | 44.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Caleb Love (POR) | $11,240 | 18.5 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Dru Smith (MIA) | $6,000 | 18.2 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $20,050 | 60 | 3 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $10,870 | 37.8 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $11,130 | 24.4 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $8,880 | 29.7 | 3.3 |
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 | 37.8 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR) | $11,980 | 23.7 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Isaiah Stewart (DET) | $8,140 | 24.3 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,430 | 60.3 | 3 |
| Value | Daniel Gafford (DAL) | $10,450 | 33.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $10,180 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Luka Garza (BOS) | $6,840 | 21.1 | 3.1 |
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 P.J. Washington. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Ryan Nembhard.
On the other hand, according to our model, Caleb Love 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' NBA Friday slate closes at 11:00am 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 give you an edge 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.
