NBA Friday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 3, 2026
Last updated: Apr 3, 2026, 12:57AM | Published: Apr 2, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Friday Late DFS contest kicks off at 12:40pm AEDT on April 3, 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 a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together 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 Late slate includes the following games:
- LA Clippers vs San Antonio Spurs
- Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers
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 find the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $25,590 | 64.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR, SF/SG) | $6,780 | 23.2 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Jaxson Hayes (LAL, C) | $10,860 | 17.9 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Luke Kornet (SAS, C) | $7,500 | 23.8 | 3.2 |
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'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) | $25,590 | 64.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,180 | 27.7 | 3 |
| Fade | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $10,800 | 24.8 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Pat Spencer (GSW) | $7,360 | 19.5 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $16,760 | 49 | 2.9 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR) | $6,780 | 23.2 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $11,570 | 26.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,180 | 27.7 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,220 | 53.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR) | $6,780 | 23.2 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $11,570 | 26.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Herbert Jones (NOP) | $8,680 | 25.1 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,220 | 53.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,220 | 53.4 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Toumani Camara (POR) | $12,380 | 28.6 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $7,990 | 20.3 | 2.5 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $15,400 | 41.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Luke Kornet (SAS) | $7,500 | 23.8 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jaxson Hayes (LAL) | $10,860 | 17.9 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | DeAndre Jordan (NOP) | $6,000 | 18.5 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Friday Late teams, consider starting with a value player like Matisse Thybulle. 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 Luke Kornet.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jaxson Hayes is one of the worst 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 Late slate closes at 12:40pm 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 Late slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA Friday Late 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.
