NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 17, 2026
Last updated: Jan 16, 2026, 8:57AM | Published: Jan 16, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest kicks off at 11:00am AEDT on January 17, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 January 17 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Sacramento Kings vs Washington Wizards
- Toronto Raptors vs LA Clippers
- Indiana Pacers vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets vs Chicago Bulls
- Houston Rockets vs Minnesota Timberwolves
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 most reliable 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 make the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE, SG/PG) | $19,180 | 51.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Will Riley (WAS, SF) | $6,000 | 24.6 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Jalen Smith (CHI, PF/C) | $10,880 | 21 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Miller (LAC, SF) | $6,000 | 22.3 | 3.7 |
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 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 | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $19,180 | 51.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Immanuel Quickley (TOR) | $11,930 | 38.9 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Dennis Schröder (SAC) | $10,200 | 22.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $9,770 | 30.4 | 3.1 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $19,180 | 51.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Amen Thompson (HOU) | $15,070 | 47.6 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Ayo Dosunmu (CHI) | $10,810 | 24.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,750 | 19.8 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $16,870 | 50 | 3 |
| Value | Will Riley (WAS) | $6,000 | 24.6 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Michael Porter (BKN) | $17,260 | 36.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Miller (LAC) | $6,000 | 22.3 | 3.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zion Williamson (NOP) | $16,770 | 47.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $9,090 | 32.3 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Jalen Smith (CHI) | $10,880 | 21 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Nae'Qwan Tomlin (CLE) | $6,000 | 20.8 | 3.5 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $18,250 | 48.1 | 2.6 |
| Value | Precious Achiuwa (SAC) | $9,090 | 32.3 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Jalen Smith (CHI) | $10,880 | 21 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Marvin Bagley (WAS) | $8,520 | 28.5 | 3.3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Will Riley. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Donovan Mitchell 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 Jordan Miller.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jalen Smith 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 Saturday slate closes at 11:00am 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 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.
