NBA Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 26, 2026
Last updated: Jan 25, 2026, 11:58PM | Published: Jan 25, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Monday DFS contest begins at 11:00am AEDT on January 26, 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 crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Monday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Monday slate includes these match-ups:
- LA Clippers vs Brooklyn Nets
- Phoenix Suns vs Miami Heat
- San Antonio Spurs vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Toronto Raptors
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 have 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 | Victor Wembanyama (SAS, C) | $21,970 | 55.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Dru Smith (MIA, SG) | $6,000 | 21.8 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Sandro Mamukelashvili (TOR, C) | $11,270 | 22.3 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Oso Ighodaro (PHX, C) | $6,000 | 19.8 | 3.3 |
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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $21,160 | 51.5 | 2.4 |
| Value | Collin Gillespie (PHX) | $13,090 | 40.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Immanuel Quickley (TOR) | $13,770 | 35.2 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Tyrese Martin (BKN) | $6,000 | 18 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $14,250 | 42.7 | 3 |
| Value | Dru Smith (MIA) | $6,000 | 21.8 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Norman Powell (MIA) | $13,330 | 29.9 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Goodwin (PHX) | $8,170 | 26.3 | 3.2 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $15,710 | 44 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jordan Goodwin (PHX) | $8,170 | 26.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Trey Murphy (NOP) | $16,180 | 37 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $8,760 | 26.6 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zion Williamson (NOP) | $15,870 | 45.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $6,550 | 19.6 | 3 |
| Fade | Bam Adebayo (MIA) | $17,660 | 40.1 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Simone Fontecchio (MIA) | $6,990 | 20.8 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $21,970 | 55.7 | 2.5 |
| Value | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,000 | 19.8 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Sandro Mamukelashvili (TOR) | $11,270 | 22.3 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Day'Ron Sharpe (BKN) | $7,800 | 23.5 | 3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Dru Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Victor Wembanyama 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 Oso Ighodaro.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sandro Mamukelashvili 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 Monday slate closes at 11:00am 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 maximize points while adhering to the salary cap 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.
