NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 14, 2026
Last updated: Mar 13, 2026, 11:01PM | Published: Mar 13, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest starts at 10:40am AEDT on March 14, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build 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 March 14 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate features these match-ups:
- Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks
- LA Clippers vs Chicago Bulls
- Golden State Warriors vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Detroit Pistons vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Toronto Raptors vs Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 picks on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC, SF/PF) | $19,100 | 55.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Clint Capela (HOU, C) | $6,000 | 28.6 | 4.8 |
| Fade | Taylor Hendricks (MEM, PF) | $10,050 | 19.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW, SG/SF) | $6,000 | 23.2 | 3.9 |
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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,950 | 54.6 | 2.7 |
| Value | Rob Dillingham (CHI) | $6,000 | 20 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Ty Jerome (MEM) | $13,620 | 27.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (CLE) | $7,540 | 23.3 | 3.1 |
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 | Ty Jerome (MEM) | $13,620 | 27.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Landry Shamet (NYK) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
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 | GG Jackson (MEM) | $10,770 | 22.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jaylon Tyson (CLE) | $8,060 | 29.2 | 3.6 |
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 | Taylor Hendricks (MEM) | $10,050 | 19.6 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Ronald Holland (DET) | $7,110 | 22.7 | 3.2 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,200 | 44.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Clint Capela (HOU) | $6,000 | 28.6 | 4.8 |
| Fade | Guerschon Yabusele (CHI) | $11,120 | 22.7 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Thomas Bryant (CLE) | $6,000 | 22.4 | 3.7 |
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 Clint Capela. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Gary Payton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Taylor Hendricks 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 10:40am 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.
