NBA Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 5, 2026
Last updated: Jan 4, 2026, 10:57PM | Published: Jan 4, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Monday DFS contest starts at 10:10am AEDT on January 5, 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 essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 5 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Monday slate consists of the following games:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Phoenix Suns vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Sacramento Kings vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most accurate 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 find the best choices on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $23,350 | 67.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL, PF/C) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jaren Jackson (MEM, PF/C) | $15,140 | 29.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Smart (LAL, SG/PG) | $9,600 | 31.9 | 3.3 |
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 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) | $23,350 | 67.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $9,600 | 31.9 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Cam Spencer (MEM) | $10,120 | 21.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $7,130 | 21.6 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,050 | 52.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $9,600 | 31.9 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Collin Gillespie (PHX) | $13,130 | 28.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Khris Middleton (WAS) | $8,730 | 25.5 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $16,650 | 49.1 | 3 |
| Value | Jaden McDaniels (MIN) | $10,960 | 34.4 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bilal Coulibaly (WAS) | $12,050 | 25.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Khris Middleton (WAS) | $8,730 | 25.5 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,060 | 59.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $15,140 | 29.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Nikola Jović (MIA) | $9,560 | 23.6 | 2.5 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,060 | 59.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $15,140 | 29.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,000 | 17.8 | 3 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Monday 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 seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Marcus Smart.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jaren Jackson is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Monday slate closes at 10:10am 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 give you an edge 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.
