NBA Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 1, 2026
Last updated: Jan 31, 2026, 4:57PM | Published: Jan 31, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Sunday DFS contest starts at 11:00am AEDT on February 1, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each 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 assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Sunday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Sunday slate features the following match-ups:
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks
- Philadelphia 76ers vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls
- Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks
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 strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI, C) | $19,440 | 55.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Nikola Jović (MIA, PF/C) | $6,920 | 26.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | CJ McCollum (ATL, PG/SG) | $12,890 | 26.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kevin Huerter (CHI, SG) | $8,570 | 32.5 | 3.8 |
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 refer to 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) | $18,990 | 54.2 | 2.9 |
| Value | T.J. McConnell (IND) | $7,910 | 23.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | CJ McCollum (ATL) | $12,890 | 26.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $6,000 | 17.4 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $17,180 | 48.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kevin Huerter (CHI) | $8,570 | 32.5 | 3.8 |
| Fade | CJ McCollum (ATL) | $12,890 | 26.4 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,650 | 22.9 | 3.4 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $17,180 | 48.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,650 | 22.9 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Saddiq Bey (NOP) | $13,870 | 31 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $9,520 | 32 | 3.4 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,950 | 54.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Nikola Jović (MIA) | $6,920 | 26.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Santi Aldama (MEM) | $11,540 | 24.2 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Patrick Williams (CHI) | $6,000 | 20.4 | 3.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $19,440 | 55.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Nikola Jović (MIA) | $6,920 | 26.3 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $15,890 | 34.4 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Yves Missi (NOP) | $6,000 | 20.6 | 3.4 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Nikola Jović. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Joel Embiid 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 Kevin Huerter.
On the other hand, according to our model, CJ McCollum 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 Sunday slate closes at 11:00am AEDT on Sunday. 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 Sunday slate. 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 Sunday 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.
