NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 2, 2026
Last updated: Jan 2, 2026, 12:00AM | Published: Jan 1, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest commences at 11:10am 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 assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Friday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate features these games:
- Sacramento Kings vs Boston Celtics
- Detroit Pistons vs Miami Heat
- Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz
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 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've 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 | Walter Clayton (UTA, PG) | $6,670 | 27.5 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC, PG) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Sasser (DET, PG) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
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 | James Harden (LAC) | $20,290 | 57.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Walter Clayton (UTA) | $6,670 | 27.5 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Sasser (DET) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
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 | 33.2 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,730 | 44.7 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (UTA) | $6,000 | 19.7 | 3.3 |
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 | Keegan Murray (SAC) | $11,680 | 26.2 | 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 | 31.5 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Luka Garza (BOS) | $7,240 | 22.1 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Walter Clayton. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Kawhi Leonard 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 Marcus Sasser.
On the other hand, according to our model, Russell Westbrook 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.
