NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 20, 2026
Last updated: Mar 19, 2026, 8:58AM | Published: Mar 19, 2026, 7:59AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest commences at 10:00am AEDT on March 20, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on March 20 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate consists of the following match-ups:
- Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic
- Sacramento Kings vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Washington Wizards vs Detroit Pistons
- New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers
- Utah Jazz vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Chicago Bulls vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $25,390 | 65.4 | 2.6 |
| Value | Brandon Miller (CHA, SG/SF) | $13,540 | 42 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA, SF) | $14,730 | 23.9 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Paul Reed (DET, C) | $7,500 | 21.8 | 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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $25,390 | 65.4 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jalen Suggs (ORL) | $12,960 | 38.6 | 3 |
| Fade | Cameron Payne (PHI) | $10,310 | 19.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,850 | 22.3 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,430 | 50.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,540 | 42 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Cody Williams (UTA) | $12,110 | 23.3 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Kobe Sanders (LAC) | $6,000 | 16.8 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,910 | 51.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,540 | 42 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $14,730 | 23.9 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Simone Fontecchio (MIA) | $6,210 | 17.7 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,910 | 51.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | LeBron James (LAL) | $16,060 | 46.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Derik Queen (NOP) | $10,810 | 19.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Simone Fontecchio (MIA) | $6,210 | 17.7 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $21,150 | 56.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Duren (DET) | $17,340 | 50.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Derik Queen (NOP) | $10,810 | 19.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Paul Reed (DET) | $7,500 | 21.8 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Brandon Miller. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Paul Reed.
On the other hand, according to our model, Brice Sensabaugh is one of the worst 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 10:00am 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.
