NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 11, 2026
Last updated: Apr 10, 2026, 10:57PM | Published: Apr 10, 2026, 2:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest begins at 9:10am AEST on April 11, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate features the following games:
- Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers
- Charlotte Hornets vs Detroit Pistons
- San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks
- Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic
- Boston Celtics vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Denver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Sacramento Kings vs Golden State Warriors
- New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Phoenix Suns
- Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Washington Wizards vs Miami Heat
- Houston Rockets vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets
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 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,650 | 58.2 | 2.3 |
| Value | Simone Fontecchio (MIA, SF/PF) | $6,080 | 27.1 | 4.5 |
| Fade | Jaden McDaniels (MIN, PF/SF) | $12,710 | 16.2 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | E.J. Liddell (BKN, PF) | $6,000 | 26.1 | 4.4 |
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 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 | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,500 | 51 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kasparas Jakučionis (MIA) | $6,560 | 26.7 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $10,130 | 16.4 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Tyson Etienne (BKN) | $6,950 | 24.8 | 3.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,270 | 46.8 | 2.4 |
| Value | Malachi Smith (BKN) | $6,540 | 28.3 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $10,590 | 18.4 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 31 | 3.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $17,140 | 51.6 | 3 |
| Value | Simone Fontecchio (MIA) | $6,080 | 27.1 | 4.5 |
| Fade | Jaden McDaniels (MIN) | $12,710 | 16.2 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $8,930 | 31 | 3.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,070 | 54.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Simone Fontecchio (MIA) | $6,080 | 27.1 | 4.5 |
| Fade | Jaden McDaniels (MIN) | $12,710 | 16.2 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | E.J. Liddell (BKN) | $6,000 | 26.1 | 4.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,650 | 58.2 | 2.3 |
| Value | Goga Bitadze (ORL) | $6,870 | 25.4 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA) | $13,980 | 28.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (MIN) | $6,810 | 21.3 | 3.1 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Simone Fontecchio. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić 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 E.J. Liddell.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jaden McDaniels is one of the worst 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 Saturday slate closes at 9:10am 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 Saturday 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 Saturday 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.
