NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 2, 2026
Last updated: Jan 1, 2026, 12:57PM | Published: Jan 1, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest starts at 11:00am AEDT on January 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 2 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate consists of the following games:
- LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz
- Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Detroit Pistons vs Miami Heat
- Sacramento Kings vs Boston Celtics
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 best 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC, SF/PF) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Marcus Sasser (DET, PG) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC, PG) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Quentin Grimes (PHI, SG/PG) | $9,150 | 33.2 | 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 | James Harden (LAC) | $20,290 | 57.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Marcus Sasser (DET) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $9,150 | 33.2 | 3.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Derrick White (BOS) | $15,720 | 40.7 | 2.6 |
| Value | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $9,150 | 33.2 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Norman Powell (MIA) | $13,980 | 32.4 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Javonte Green (DET) | $6,000 | 20.9 | 3.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $9,040 | 29.5 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $16,940 | 37.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $9,900 | 28.5 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $17,930 | 53.9 | 3 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $16,940 | 37.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Dominick Barlow (PHI) | $7,520 | 22.2 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $18,080 | 55.6 | 3.1 |
| Value | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $18,080 | 55.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $13,460 | 28.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Luka Garza (BOS) | $7,240 | 22.1 | 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 Marcus Sasser. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Kawhi Leonard is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Quentin Grimes.
On the other hand, according to our model, Russell Westbrook 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 11:00am 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 slate. 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.
