NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 25, 2025
Last updated: Jan 24, 2025, 11:58PM | Published: Jan 24, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest starts at 11:10am AEDT on January 25, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each 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 assemble 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 consists of the following match-ups:
- Charlotte Hornets vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Memphis Grizzlies vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
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 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaren Jackson (MEM, C/PF) | $15,240 | 50.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Scotty Pippen (MEM, PG) | $7,830 | 39.4 | 5 |
| Fade | Scoot Henderson (POR, PG) | $11,840 | 24.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Josh Okogie (CHA, SG) | $6,000 | 25.5 | 4.3 |
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 | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | $19,210 | 44.5 | 2.3 |
| Value | Scotty Pippen (MEM) | $7,830 | 39.4 | 5 |
| Fade | Scoot Henderson (POR) | $11,840 | 24.7 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Vasilije Micić (CHA) | $7,690 | 30.2 | 3.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $16,430 | 44.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Josh Okogie (CHA) | $6,000 | 25.5 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $10,340 | 23.9 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Vasilije Micić (CHA) | $7,690 | 30.2 | 3.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Desmond Bane (MEM) | $15,010 | 41.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Cody Martin (CHA) | $7,940 | 30.5 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Deni Avdija (POR) | $13,920 | 30.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Javonte Green (NOP) | $7,020 | 21.6 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $15,240 | 50.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Cody Martin (CHA) | $7,940 | 30.5 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Deni Avdija (POR) | $13,920 | 30.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Jabari Walker (POR) | $6,440 | 21.3 | 3.3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $15,240 | 50.3 | 3.3 |
| Value | Donovan Clingan (POR) | $7,760 | 28.5 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Mark Williams (CHA) | $17,960 | 43.9 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jabari Walker (POR) | $6,440 | 21.3 | 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 Scotty Pippen. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jaren Jackson 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 Josh Okogie.
On the other hand, according to our model, Scoot Henderson is one of the worst 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 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 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.
