NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 17, 2025
Last updated: Jan 16, 2025, 11:57PM | Published: Jan 16, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest kicks off at 11:10am AEDT on January 17, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every 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 assemble 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 the following match-ups:
- Sacramento Kings vs Houston Rockets
- Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Washington Wizards vs Phoenix Suns
- Detroit Pistons vs Indiana Pacers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 find the best selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Domantas Sabonis (SAC, C) | $20,840 | 52.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Kyle Kuzma (WAS, PF/SF) | $13,080 | 38.7 | 3 |
| Fade | T.J. McConnell (IND, PG) | $11,650 | 20 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Grayson Allen (PHX, SF/SG) | $9,810 | 28.5 | 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 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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $20,540 | 51.6 | 2.5 |
| Value | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,790 | 21.6 | 2.8 |
| Fade | T.J. McConnell (IND) | $11,650 | 20 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Tyus Jones (PHX) | $9,870 | 27.2 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $19,290 | 51.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $9,810 | 28.5 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Andrew Nembhard (IND) | $12,290 | 25.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,790 | 21.6 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Williams (OKC) | $16,520 | 41 | 2.5 |
| Value | Kyle Kuzma (WAS) | $13,080 | 38.7 | 3 |
| Fade | Malik Beasley (DET) | $11,240 | 23.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $9,810 | 28.5 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (PHX) | $19,140 | 45.1 | 2.4 |
| Value | Kyle Kuzma (WAS) | $13,080 | 38.7 | 3 |
| Fade | Tari Eason (HOU) | $10,150 | 19.1 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Kenrich Williams (OKC) | $7,720 | 21.4 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Domantas Sabonis (SAC) | $20,840 | 52.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Deandre Ayton (POR) | $13,030 | 38.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Jarrett Allen (CLE) | $15,090 | 34.5 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Mason Plumlee (PHX) | $8,850 | 25.2 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kyle Kuzma. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Domantas Sabonis 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 Grayson Allen.
On the other hand, according to our model, T.J. McConnell is one of the lowest 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 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.
