NBA Late Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 31, 2026
Last updated: Oct 30, 2026, 10:57AM | Published: Oct 30, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Saturday DFS contest begins at 1:00pm AEDT on October 31, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Saturday slate features the following games:
- Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors 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 strongest 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $22,970 | 61.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (LAL, SF/PF) | $6,950 | 22.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Khaman Maluach (PHX, C) | $11,570 | 22.3 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Al Horford (GSW, C) | $6,300 | 19 | 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) | $22,970 | 61.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Collin Sexton (LAL) | $7,320 | 21 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,170 | 38 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $8,170 | 21.2 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $15,030 | 41.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | DeMar DeRozan (DEN) | $8,910 | 26.3 | 3 |
| Fade | Christian Braun (DEN) | $10,590 | 24.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Collin Sexton (LAL) | $7,320 | 21 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yaxel Lendeborg (GSW) | $15,170 | 45.1 | 3 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (LAL) | $6,950 | 22.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Dillon Brooks (PHX) | $10,440 | 33 | 3.2 |
| Cheapie | DeMar DeRozan (DEN) | $8,910 | 26.3 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Yaxel Lendeborg (GSW) | $15,170 | 45.1 | 3 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (LAL) | $6,950 | 22.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Draymond Green (GSW) | $11,650 | 27.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Ziaire Williams (LAL) | $8,640 | 24.9 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $21,590 | 60.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Al Horford (GSW) | $6,300 | 19 | 3 |
| Fade | Khaman Maluach (PHX) | $11,570 | 22.3 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Sandro Mamukelashvili (LAL) | $9,070 | 25.8 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Saturday 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, check out our cheapie options, including Al Horford.
On the other hand, according to our model, Khaman Maluach 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 Saturday slate closes at 1:00pm 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 balance star power, value and budget management 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.
