NBA Late Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 18, 2026
Last updated: Mar 17, 2026, 11:01AM | Published: Mar 17, 2026, 7:59AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Late Wednesday DFS contest begins at 1:00pm AEDT on March 18, 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Wednesday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Late Wednesday slate features these games:
- Sacramento Kings vs San Antonio Spurs
- Denver Nuggets vs Philadelphia 76ers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,980 | 72.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Trendon Watford (PHI, PF) | $6,430 | 23.7 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI, SG/PG) | $14,680 | 30.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Daeqwon Plowden (SAC, SG) | $6,000 | 18.2 | 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 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 highlight 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 | Jamal Murray (DEN) | $16,670 | 45.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,980 | 25.1 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $14,680 | 30.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Bruce Brown (DEN) | $6,000 | 15.2 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $14,980 | 38.3 | 2.6 |
| Value | Daeqwon Plowden (SAC) | $6,000 | 18.2 | 3 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $14,680 | 30.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,980 | 25.1 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | DeMar DeRozan (SAC) | $14,140 | 30.8 | 2.2 |
| Value | Christian Braun (DEN) | $9,810 | 26.9 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Devin Vassell (SAS) | $10,130 | 25 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | MarJon Beauchamp (PHI) | $6,000 | 16.3 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Aaron Gordon (DEN) | $12,460 | 32.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Trendon Watford (PHI) | $6,430 | 23.7 | 3.7 |
| Fade | DeMar DeRozan (SAC) | $14,140 | 30.8 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Dominick Barlow (PHI) | $7,580 | 22.2 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,980 | 72.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Adem Bona (PHI) | $7,200 | 21 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $13,070 | 28.9 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Cardwell (SAC) | $6,920 | 18.9 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Late Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Trendon Watford. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Daeqwon Plowden.
On the other hand, according to our model, Quentin Grimes is one of the worst 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 Wednesday slate closes at 1:00pm AEDT on Wednesday. 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 Wednesday 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 Wednesday 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.
