NBA Play-in Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 15, 2026
Last updated: Apr 14, 2026, 10:57PM | Published: Apr 14, 2026, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Play-in Wednesday DFS contest kicks off at 9:30am AEST on April 15, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 15 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Play-in Wednesday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Charlotte Hornets vs Miami Heat
- Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 find the best choices on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LaMelo Ball (CHA, PG) | $18,290 | 51.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Donovan Clingan (POR, C) | $11,930 | 39.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Bam Adebayo (MIA, C) | $17,290 | 40.2 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Pelle Larsson (MIA, SF/SG) | $7,470 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
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're 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 | LaMelo Ball (CHA) | $18,290 | 51.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | LaMelo Ball (CHA) | $18,290 | 51.6 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Tyler Herro (MIA) | $15,400 | 38.3 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Collin Gillespie (PHX) | $7,680 | 21 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $17,150 | 44.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Kon Knueppel (CHA) | $12,580 | 40.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Tyler Herro (MIA) | $15,400 | 38.3 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Pelle Larsson (MIA) | $7,470 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,020 | 51 | 3 |
| Value | Pelle Larsson (MIA) | $7,470 | 23.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Andrew Wiggins (MIA) | $12,690 | 29.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Goodwin (PHX) | $7,230 | 22 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,020 | 51 | 3 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,020 | 51 | 3 |
| Fade | Andrew Wiggins (MIA) | $12,690 | 29.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jaime Jaquez (MIA) | $9,190 | 25.6 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bam Adebayo (MIA) | $17,290 | 40.2 | 2.3 |
| Value | Donovan Clingan (POR) | $11,930 | 39.4 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Mark Williams (PHX) | $10,170 | 26.6 | 2.6 |
| Cheapie | Robert Williams (POR) | $7,490 | 22 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Play-in Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Donovan Clingan. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, LaMelo Ball is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Pelle Larsson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bam Adebayo is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Play-in Wednesday slate closes at 9:30am AEST 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 Play-in 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 Play-in 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.
