NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 4, 2026
Last updated: Apr 3, 2026, 10:57PM | Published: Apr 3, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest kicks off at 10:10am AEDT on April 4, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 match-ups:
- Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- New York Knicks vs Chicago Bulls
- Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta Hawks
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Boston Celtics
- Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz
- Dallas Mavericks vs Orlando Magic
- Charlotte Hornets vs Indiana Pacers
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Toronto Raptors
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL, PF) | $19,320 | 59.6 | 3.1 |
| Value | Ryan Kalkbrenner (CHA, C) | $6,000 | 26.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Ousmane Dieng (MIL, SF/PF) | $13,260 | 24.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Khris Middleton (DAL, SF/SG) | $6,890 | 24.5 | 3.6 |
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'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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | $19,380 | 50.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jeremiah Fears (NOP) | $9,980 | 34.2 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Tre Jones (CHI) | $12,710 | 25.3 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Donte DiVincenzo (MIN) | $9,970 | 28.5 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $18,630 | 56.7 | 3 |
| Value | Khris Middleton (DAL) | $6,890 | 24.5 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Cedric Coward (MEM) | $10,940 | 25 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Ja'Kobe Walter (TOR) | $7,630 | 22.6 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $18,630 | 56.7 | 3 |
| Value | Khris Middleton (DAL) | $6,890 | 24.5 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Ousmane Dieng (MIL) | $13,260 | 24.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Tari Eason (HOU) | $8,780 | 29.2 | 3.3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,320 | 59.6 | 3.1 |
| Value | Tari Eason (HOU) | $8,780 | 29.2 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Ousmane Dieng (MIL) | $13,260 | 24.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (MIN) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $17,830 | 51.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Ryan Kalkbrenner (CHA) | $6,000 | 26.5 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Daniel Gafford (DAL) | $10,970 | 26.3 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Goga Bitadze (ORL) | $6,000 | 20 | 3.3 |
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 Ryan Kalkbrenner. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jalen Johnson is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Khris Middleton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Ousmane Dieng is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate closes at 10:10am AEDT 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 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 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.
