NBA Late Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 21, 2025
Last updated: Dec 20, 2025, 8:58AM | Published: Dec 20, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Sunday DFS contest kicks off at 2:00pm AEDT on December 21, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Sunday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Sunday slate includes these games:
- LA Clippers vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Sacramento Kings vs Portland Trail Blazers
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 most accurate DFS projections available.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $25,300 | 63.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Robert Williams (POR, C) | $8,080 | 25.5 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR, PF) | $13,980 | 33.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL, C/PF) | $6,000 | 16.5 | 2.8 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $25,300 | 63.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $10,910 | 31.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $15,120 | 36.5 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (SAC) | $9,310 | 24.8 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $14,630 | 35.6 | 2.4 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $10,910 | 31.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $10,910 | 31.1 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Keon Ellis (SAC) | $6,240 | 16.9 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $16,220 | 46.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $16,220 | 46.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $14,630 | 35.6 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Bogdan Bogdanović (LAC) | $7,430 | 20 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $16,220 | 46.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $16,220 | 46.7 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR) | $13,980 | 33.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 16.5 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ivica Zubac (LAC) | $14,690 | 36.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Robert Williams (POR) | $8,080 | 25.5 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Maxime Raynaud (SAC) | $12,410 | 31.4 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 16.5 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Robert Williams. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Jarred Vanderbilt.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jerami Grant is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Late Sunday slate closes at 2:00pm AEDT on Sunday. 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 Sunday contest. 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 Sunday 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.
