NBA Late Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 8, 2026
Last updated: Jan 8, 2026, 2:00AM | Published: Jan 7, 2026, 8:04AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Thursday DFS contest begins at 2:10pm AEDT on January 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 8 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Thursday slate features the following games:
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Houston Rockets
- Golden State Warriors vs Milwaukee Bucks
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable 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 make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, PF/C) | $21,300 | 59.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW, SG/PG) | $7,290 | 25.6 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL, C/PF) | $10,800 | 22.5 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Sidy Cissoko (POR, SG/SF) | $6,160 | 18 | 2.9 |
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 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 | Deni Avdija (POR) | $20,110 | 53.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $7,290 | 25.6 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Amen Thompson (HOU) | $16,250 | 45.7 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $8,860 | 25.1 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $18,340 | 51 | 2.8 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $7,290 | 25.6 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $13,550 | 32.6 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Sidy Cissoko (POR) | $6,160 | 18 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $20,110 | 53.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | Tari Eason (HOU) | $11,800 | 36.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $13,550 | 32.6 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Sidy Cissoko (POR) | $6,160 | 18 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,300 | 59.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Tari Eason (HOU) | $11,800 | 36.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $10,800 | 22.5 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $9,000 | 18.7 | 2.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,300 | 59.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Clint Capela (HOU) | $6,000 | 16.9 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $10,800 | 22.5 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Quinten Post (GSW) | $6,920 | 16.4 | 2.4 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like De'Anthony Melton. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Sidy Cissoko.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bobby Portis 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 Thursday slate closes at 2:10pm AEDT on Thursday. 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 Thursday slate. 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 Thursday 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.
