NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 18, 2025
Last updated: Jan 17, 2025, 11:57PM | Published: Jan 17, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on January 18, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Brooklyn Nets
- Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets
- San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls vs Charlotte Hornets
- Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Utah Jazz
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Toronto Raptors
- New York Knicks vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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 have 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 | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, C/PF) | $23,130 | 68 | 2.9 |
| Value | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA, PF) | $6,000 | 24.5 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Spencer Dinwiddie (DAL, PG/SG) | $12,260 | 19.6 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Daniel Theis (NOP, C) | $6,090 | 24 | 3.9 |
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 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 | LaMelo Ball (CHA) | $21,300 | 63.3 | 3 |
| Value | CJ McCollum (NOP) | $12,810 | 38.9 | 3 |
| Fade | Spencer Dinwiddie (DAL) | $12,260 | 19.6 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Terry Rozier (MIA) | $8,730 | 24.1 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Tyler Herro (MIA) | $16,950 | 48.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Khris Middleton (MIL) | $10,150 | 35.1 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Spencer Dinwiddie (DAL) | $12,260 | 19.6 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Aaron Wiggins (OKC) | $8,160 | 22.9 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $19,530 | 54.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Khris Middleton (MIL) | $10,150 | 35.1 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jaime Jaquez (MIA) | $11,010 | 21.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Aaron Wiggins (OKC) | $8,160 | 22.9 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,130 | 68 | 2.9 |
| Value | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA) | $6,000 | 24.5 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Paolo Banchero (ORL) | $17,690 | 34.1 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $6,410 | 17.6 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,130 | 68 | 2.9 |
| Value | Daniel Theis (NOP) | $6,090 | 24 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Wendell Carter (ORL) | $11,950 | 24 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Drew Eubanks (UTA) | $9,870 | 28.2 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Oscar Tshiebwe. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Daniel Theis.
On the other hand, according to our model, Spencer Dinwiddie 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 11:10am 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 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 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.
