NBA Late Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 21, 2026
Last updated: Feb 21, 2026, 1:59AM | Published: Feb 20, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Saturday DFS contest starts at 2:10pm AEDT on February 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on February 21 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Saturday slate features these match-ups:
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Denver Nuggets
- Los Angeles Lakers vs LA Clippers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 make the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,130 | 69.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Derrick Jones (LAC, SF/PF) | $8,090 | 28 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR, PG) | $14,350 | 30.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jerami Grant (POR, PF) | $9,990 | 30.4 | 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'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) | $21,820 | 58.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,100 | 49.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $14,350 | 30.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Scoot Henderson (POR) | $8,930 | 24.4 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $15,080 | 37.9 | 2.5 |
| Value | Christian Braun (DEN) | $9,900 | 26.2 | 2.6 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $13,770 | 31.8 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $9,770 | 24.5 | 2.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,880 | 53.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,090 | 28 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $13,770 | 31.8 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $9,980 | 29.3 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,880 | 53.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,090 | 28 | 3.5 |
| Fade | John Collins (LAC) | $11,140 | 28.6 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Jerami Grant (POR) | $9,990 | 30.4 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,130 | 69.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jonas Valančiūnas (DEN) | $6,480 | 18.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | John Collins (LAC) | $11,140 | 28.6 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Brook Lopez (LAC) | $7,910 | 22.7 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Derrick Jones. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Jerami Grant.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jrue Holiday is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Late Saturday slate closes at 2:10pm AEDT on Saturday. 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 Saturday 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 Late Saturday 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.
