NBA Late Friday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 2, 2026
Last updated: Jan 1, 2026, 12:57PM | Published: Jan 1, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Friday DFS contest commences at 2:00pm AEDT on January 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 2 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Friday slate consists of the following match-ups:
- Sacramento Kings vs Boston Celtics
- LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 | Kawhi Leonard (LAC, PF/SF) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA, SF) | $9,040 | 29.5 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC, PG) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Luka Garza (BOS, C) | $7,240 | 22.1 | 3.1 |
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 | James Harden (LAC) | $20,290 | 57.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Walter Clayton (UTA) | $6,670 | 19.9 | 3 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $13,970 | 29 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Anfernee Simons (BOS) | $9,140 | 23.8 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Derrick White (BOS) | $15,720 | 40.7 | 2.6 |
| Value | Anfernee Simons (BOS) | $9,140 | 23.8 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $9,680 | 24.6 | 2.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) | $9,040 | 29.5 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $16,940 | 37.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Nicolas Batum (LAC) | $7,840 | 20.2 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $23,150 | 58.4 | 2.5 |
| Value | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $16,940 | 37.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Nicolas Batum (LAC) | $7,840 | 20.2 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Neemias Queta (BOS) | $12,660 | 34 | 2.7 |
| Value | Luka Garza (BOS) | $7,240 | 22.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kyle Filipowski (UTA) | $12,690 | 29.6 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Late Friday teams, consider starting with a value player like Brice Sensabaugh. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Kawhi Leonard 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 Luka Garza.
On the other hand, according to our model, Russell Westbrook is one of the lowest 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 Late Friday slate closes at 2:00pm 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 Late 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 Late 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.
