NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 31, 2026
Last updated: Jan 30, 2026, 3:58PM | Published: Jan 30, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest commences at 11:00am AEDT on January 31, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 31 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate features these games:
- Boston Celtics vs Sacramento Kings
- Washington Wizards vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets vs LA Clippers
- Phoenix Suns vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic vs Toronto Raptors
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies
- New York Knicks vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Utah Jazz vs Brooklyn Nets
- Golden State Warriors vs Detroit Pistons
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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'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 | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $24,120 | 66.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jamal Shead (TOR, PG) | $6,000 | 21.5 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Al Horford (GSW, C) | $10,050 | 19.6 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Nae'Qwan Tomlin (CLE, PF) | $6,660 | 21.1 | 3.2 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $24,120 | 66.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jamal Shead (TOR) | $6,000 | 21.5 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Miles McBride (NYK) | $10,280 | 20.7 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Egor Dëmin (BKN) | $8,830 | 27.6 | 3.1 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $19,680 | 46.7 | 2.4 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK) | $12,540 | 40.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Miles McBride (NYK) | $10,280 | 20.7 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $6,000 | 17.9 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $18,090 | 49.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK) | $12,540 | 40.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Toumani Camara (POR) | $11,780 | 25.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Miller (LAC) | $7,900 | 24.6 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zion Williamson (NOP) | $16,820 | 49.8 | 3 |
| Value | Nae'Qwan Tomlin (CLE) | $6,660 | 21.1 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Kyle Filipowski (UTA) | $11,200 | 22.8 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Gui Santos (GSW) | $6,000 | 18.3 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $15,910 | 49.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,060 | 19 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Al Horford (GSW) | $10,050 | 19.6 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Jaxson Hayes (LAL) | $6,000 | 18.1 | 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 Jamal Shead. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić 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 Nae'Qwan Tomlin.
On the other hand, according to our model, Al Horford is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out 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 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.
