NBA Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 23, 2026
Last updated: Feb 22, 2026, 11:00PM | Published: Feb 22, 2026, 7:59AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Monday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on February 23, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 February 23 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Monday slate includes these match-ups:
- Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks
- LA Clippers vs Orlando Magic
- Minnesota Timberwolves 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 picks on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN, SG/PG) | $18,400 | 52.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Ayo Dosunmu (MIN, SF/SG) | $8,150 | 30.1 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR, PG) | $14,060 | 29.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI, SF/SG) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
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 | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,400 | 52.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jose Alvarado (NYK) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $14,060 | 29.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Tre Jones (CHI) | $8,440 | 25.8 | 3.1 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,400 | 52.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Ayo Dosunmu (MIN) | $8,150 | 30.1 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $14,190 | 32.4 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,070 | 50.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Ayo Dosunmu (MIN) | $8,150 | 30.1 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Toumani Camara (POR) | $10,310 | 23.6 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,070 | 50.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $9,630 | 31.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Toumani Camara (POR) | $10,310 | 23.6 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Ryan Dunn (PHX) | $6,950 | 21.8 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | $17,010 | 45.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Moritz Wagner (ORL) | $6,040 | 18.9 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jalen Smith (CHI) | $10,780 | 27.7 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Andre Drummond (PHI) | $8,500 | 25.7 | 3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Ayo Dosunmu. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Anthony Edwards 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 Isaac Okoro.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jrue Holiday is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Monday slate closes at 11:10am AEDT on Monday. 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 Monday 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 Monday 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.
