NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 8, 2026
Last updated: May 7, 2026, 9:59AM | Published: May 7, 2026, 8:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest commences at 9:00am AEST on May 8, 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 crucial 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 May 8 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate includes these games:
- Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cade Cunningham (DET, PG) | $20,210 | 56.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Duncan Robinson (DET, SF) | $9,210 | 26.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Marcus Smart (LAL, PG/SG) | $13,680 | 26.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Javonte Green (DET, SG/SF) | $6,000 | 16.7 | 2.8 |
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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $20,210 | 56.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $20,210 | 56.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $13,680 | 26.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Luke Kennard (LAL) | $8,490 | 22.4 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $16,500 | 44 | 2.7 |
| Value | Javonte Green (DET) | $6,000 | 16.7 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $13,680 | 26.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Cason Wallace (OKC) | $8,000 | 21.3 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,980 | 47.5 | 2.5 |
| Value | Duncan Robinson (DET) | $9,210 | 26.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $10,360 | 25.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Javonte Green (DET) | $6,000 | 16.7 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,980 | 47.5 | 2.5 |
| Value | Dean Wade (CLE) | $6,440 | 17.5 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Chet Holmgren (OKC) | $16,910 | 37 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,040 | 12.7 | 1.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Duren (DET) | $15,520 | 44.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jalen Duren (DET) | $15,520 | 44.8 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Chet Holmgren (OKC) | $16,910 | 37 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jaxson Hayes (LAL) | $6,250 | 14.2 | 2.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Duncan Robinson. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Cade Cunningham is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Javonte Green.
On the other hand, according to our model, Marcus Smart 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 9:00am AEST 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.
