NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 14, 2026
Last updated: Mar 13, 2026, 11:57AM | Published: Mar 13, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest kicks off at 10:30am AEDT on March 14, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 March 14 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate consists of these games:
- Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks
- LA Clippers vs Chicago Bulls
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz
- Golden State Warriors vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Detroit Pistons vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Toronto Raptors vs Phoenix Suns
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 most reliable DFS projections available.
With the best 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 | Kawhi Leonard (LAC, PF/SF) | $19,100 | 55.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Gary Payton (GSW, SG/SF) | $6,000 | 23.2 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Nick Richards (CHI, C) | $11,300 | 15.3 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA, C) | $6,000 | 20.1 | 3.4 |
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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,950 | 54.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,440 | 54.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Devin Booker (PHX) | $18,670 | 43.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (CLE) | $7,540 | 22.2 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $16,980 | 49.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,000 | 23.2 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $10,880 | 24.1 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Herbert Jones (NOP) | $8,040 | 26.9 | 3.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $19,100 | 55.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,000 | 23.2 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Matas Buzelis (CHI) | $15,870 | 30.5 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Herbert Jones (NOP) | $8,040 | 26.9 | 3.3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $19,100 | 55.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Tari Eason (HOU) | $9,860 | 32 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Matas Buzelis (CHI) | $15,870 | 30.5 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Derik Queen (NOP) | $7,730 | 20.6 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,200 | 44.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA) | $6,000 | 20.1 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Nick Richards (CHI) | $11,300 | 15.3 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Bryant (CLE) | $6,000 | 18.9 | 3.1 |
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 Gary Payton. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Kawhi Leonard 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 Oscar Tshiebwe.
On the other hand, according to our model, Nick Richards 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 10:30am 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.
