NBA Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 16, 2026
Last updated: May 14, 2026, 10:58AM | Published: May 14, 2026, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Saturday DFS contest commences at 9:00am AEST on May 16, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Saturday slate includes these match-ups:
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons
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 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Cade Cunningham (DET, PG) | $19,000 | 52.8 | 2.8 |
| Value | Caris LeVert (DET, SF/SG) | $6,000 | 22.6 | 3.8 |
| Fade | James Harden (CLE, PG) | $16,390 | 43.4 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Daniss Jenkins (DET, SG/PG) | $8,670 | 27.1 | 3.1 |
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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,000 | 52.8 | 2.8 |
| Value | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $8,670 | 27.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | James Harden (CLE) | $16,390 | 43.4 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Dennis Schröder (CLE) | $7,950 | 15.2 | 1.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $16,310 | 44.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Caris LeVert (DET) | $6,000 | 22.6 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $11,660 | 32.4 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $8,670 | 27.1 | 3.1 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ausar Thompson (DET) | $11,660 | 32.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Caris LeVert (DET) | $6,000 | 22.6 | 3.8 |
| Cheapie | Dean Wade (CLE) | $6,000 | 15.4 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $14,670 | 41.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $14,670 | 41.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Tobias Harris (DET) | $13,890 | 38.9 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Dean Wade (CLE) | $6,000 | 15.4 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $14,670 | 41.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Evan Mobley (CLE) | $14,670 | 41.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jarrett Allen (CLE) | $11,930 | 32.3 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Paul Reed (DET) | $6,700 | 11.3 | 1.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Saturday teams, consider starting with a value player like Caris LeVert. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Cade Cunningham is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Daniss Jenkins.
On the other hand, according to our model, James Harden 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 9:00am AEST 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
