NBA Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 30, 2026
Last updated: Oct 29, 2026, 9:57AM | Published: Oct 29, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday DFS contest commences at 11:00am AEDT on October 30, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on October 30 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Friday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings
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 reliable 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 selections on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR, SF) | $16,400 | 53.8 | 3.3 |
| Value | Donovan Clingan (POR, C) | $10,180 | 38.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Dyson Daniels (ATL, SF) | $12,100 | 28.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Jrue Holiday (POR, SG/PG) | $9,700 | 32.4 | 3.3 |
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 | Dejounte Murray (NOP) | $14,800 | 44.9 | 3 |
| Value | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $9,700 | 32.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL) | $12,560 | 30.1 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | CJ McCollum (ATL) | $9,810 | 29.8 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Damian Lillard (POR) | $13,610 | 40.9 | 3 |
| Value | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $9,700 | 32.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,120 | 40.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jeremiah Fears (NOP) | $9,240 | 27.4 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,400 | 53.8 | 3.3 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,400 | 53.8 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Dyson Daniels (ATL) | $12,100 | 28.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Sidy Cissoko (POR) | $6,010 | 19.3 | 3.2 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $18,960 | 50.1 | 2.6 |
| Value | Sidy Cissoko (POR) | $6,010 | 19.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Cameron Boozer (MEM) | $14,630 | 34.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Jonathan Mogbo (SAC) | $6,000 | 19.3 | 3.2 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Domantas Sabonis (SAC) | $19,110 | 49.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Donovan Clingan (POR) | $10,180 | 38.2 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Derik Queen (NOP) | $11,280 | 28.3 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $9,370 | 28.7 | 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 Donovan Clingan. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Deni Avdija 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 Jrue Holiday.
On the other hand, according to our model, Dyson Daniels 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 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 help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
