NBA Play-in Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 18, 2026
Last updated: Apr 17, 2026, 8:57PM | Published: Apr 16, 2026, 11:57PM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Play-in Saturday DFS contest begins at 9:30am AEST on April 18, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 Saturday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Play-in Saturday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors
- Orlando Magic vs Charlotte Hornets
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 best DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LaMelo Ball (CHA, PG) | $18,740 | 50.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Kon Knueppel (CHA, SG) | $11,070 | 40.5 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Wendell Carter (ORL, C) | $10,030 | 24.2 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW, SF/SG) | $6,760 | 23.5 | 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 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 | LaMelo Ball (CHA) | $18,740 | 50.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Suggs (ORL) | $12,160 | 39.6 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $15,800 | 43.4 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Coby White (CHA) | $9,210 | 25.4 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $17,010 | 48.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kon Knueppel (CHA) | $11,070 | 40.5 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Desmond Bane (ORL) | $13,530 | 37.7 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,760 | 23.5 | 3.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,190 | 46.5 | 3.5 |
| Value | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,190 | 46.5 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Gui Santos (GSW) | $10,840 | 30.1 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,760 | 23.5 | 3.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paolo Banchero (ORL) | $16,240 | 43.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Dillon Brooks (PHX) | $11,240 | 35.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Gui Santos (GSW) | $10,840 | 30.1 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $7,450 | 20.2 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kristaps Porziņģis (GSW) | $11,940 | 33.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Al Horford (GSW) | $6,900 | 22.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Wendell Carter (ORL) | $10,030 | 24.2 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,150 | 19.2 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Play-in Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kon Knueppel. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, LaMelo Ball is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Gary Payton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Wendell Carter is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Play-in Saturday slate closes at 9:30am AEST on Saturday. 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 Play-in Saturday slate. 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 Play-in Saturday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
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