NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 30, 2026
Last updated: Jan 29, 2026, 11:59PM | Published: Jan 29, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest commences at 11:10am AEDT on January 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 Friday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate features the following match-ups:
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Sacramento Kings
- Dallas Mavericks vs Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat
- Denver Nuggets vs Brooklyn Nets
- Phoenix Suns vs Detroit Pistons
- Washington Wizards vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Atlanta Hawks vs Houston Rockets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the latest 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 selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI, C) | $19,460 | 54.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Nique Clifford (SAC, SG) | $6,000 | 22 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC, C) | $10,820 | 22.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jared McCain (PHI, SG) | $6,000 | 22 | 3.7 |
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 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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,700 | 50.4 | 2.6 |
| Value | Amen Thompson (HOU) | $15,430 | 48.7 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL) | $13,360 | 32.7 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (SAC) | $9,910 | 31 | 3.1 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $17,590 | 53.6 | 3 |
| Value | Jared McCain (PHI) | $6,000 | 22 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $11,120 | 25.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Nique Clifford (SAC) | $6,000 | 22 | 3.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $17,590 | 53.6 | 3 |
| Value | Josh Okogie (HOU) | $6,000 | 18.8 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $11,120 | 25.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Terance Mann (BKN) | $6,000 | 18.2 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alperen Sengun (HOU) | $17,570 | 47.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Smith (CHI) | $12,050 | 41.1 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Naz Reid (MIN) | $11,450 | 27.7 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $7,140 | 21.8 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $19,460 | 54.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jalen Smith (CHI) | $12,050 | 41.1 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC) | $10,820 | 22.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $7,140 | 21.8 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Nique Clifford. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Joel Embiid 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 Jared McCain.
On the other hand, according to our model, Isaiah Hartenstein is one of the lowest 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 11:10am 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.
