NBA Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 18, 2026
Last updated: Jan 17, 2026, 11:58PM | Published: Jan 17, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Sunday DFS contest starts at 11:40am AEDT on January 18, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 January 18 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Sunday slate features these match-ups:
- San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- New York Knicks vs Phoenix Suns
- Denver Nuggets vs Washington Wizards
- Golden State Warriors vs Charlotte Hornets
- Detroit Pistons vs Indiana Pacers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the best 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've 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET, PG) | $20,480 | 59.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Quenton Jackson (IND, PG/SG) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR, PF) | $11,650 | 23.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Nikola Jović (MIA, C/PF) | $6,000 | 23.7 | 3.9 |
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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $20,480 | 59.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Quenton Jackson (IND) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $10,880 | 22.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Tyler Kolek (NYK) | $6,000 | 23.2 | 3.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $17,260 | 45.4 | 2.6 |
| Value | Quenton Jackson (IND) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL) | $13,700 | 28.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Dru Smith (MIA) | $6,000 | 23 | 3.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $18,350 | 55.4 | 3 |
| Value | Will Riley (WAS) | $6,000 | 20.7 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Khris Middleton (WAS) | $12,590 | 28.4 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Aaron Wiggins (OKC) | $6,000 | 19.5 | 3.3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $20,330 | 54.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Nikola Jović (MIA) | $6,000 | 23.7 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Jerami Grant (POR) | $11,650 | 23.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Jarace Walker (IND) | $7,960 | 27.2 | 3.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $17,990 | 46.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nikola Jović (MIA) | $6,000 | 23.7 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Bam Adebayo (MIA) | $15,270 | 32.9 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | PJ Hall (CHA) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Quenton Jackson. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Nikola Jović.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jerami Grant 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 Sunday slate closes at 11:40am 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 give you an edge 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.
