NBA Late Tuesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 13, 2026
Last updated: Jan 12, 2026, 9:57AM | Published: Jan 12, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Tuesday DFS contest starts at 2:00pm AEDT on January 13, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 January 13 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Tuesday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Sacramento Kings vs Los Angeles Lakers
- LA Clippers vs Charlotte Hornets
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 make the best choices on Tuesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $23,790 | 61.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL, C/PF) | $6,000 | 18.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | LeBron James (LAL, SF/PF) | $18,460 | 44.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Keon Ellis (SAC, SG) | $6,000 | 18.5 | 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 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 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) | $23,790 | 61.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,450 | 24.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $13,980 | 36.8 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Malik Monk (SAC) | $7,750 | 19.3 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zach LaVine (SAC) | $11,990 | 32.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Keon Ellis (SAC) | $6,000 | 18.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,130 | 31.8 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Nique Clifford (SAC) | $6,000 | 17.8 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,840 | 48.9 | 2.7 |
| Value | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $8,430 | 24.5 | 2.9 |
| Fade | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,460 | 44.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $9,240 | 26.4 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,840 | 48.9 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 18.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,460 | 44.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $9,240 | 26.4 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | John Collins (LAC) | $11,850 | 36.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 18.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Ivica Zubac (LAC) | $13,850 | 35.7 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Jaxson Hayes (LAL) | $6,000 | 17.4 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Late Tuesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jarred Vanderbilt. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Keon Ellis.
On the other hand, according to our model, LeBron James 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 Tuesday slate closes at 2:00pm AEDT on Tuesday. 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 Tuesday contest. 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 Tuesday 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.
