NBA Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 5, 2025
Last updated: Jan 4, 2025, 11:58PM | Published: Jan 4, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Sunday DFS contest kicks off at 11:10am AEDT on January 5, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 January 5 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Sunday slate includes these match-ups:
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Detroit Pistons vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- LA Clippers vs Atlanta Hawks
- San Antonio Spurs vs Denver Nuggets
- Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz
- Indiana Pacers vs Phoenix Suns
- Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks
- Golden State Warriors vs Memphis Grizzlies
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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $26,410 | 70.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Josh Okogie (PHX, SG) | $6,000 | 20.8 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Tobias Harris (DET, PF/SF) | $12,350 | 25.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC, SG/PG) | $7,300 | 21 | 2.9 |
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 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 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) | $19,890 | 53.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Brunson (NYK) | $17,220 | 52.1 | 3 |
| Fade | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $14,790 | 32.3 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,300 | 21 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $16,610 | 48.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Josh Okogie (PHX) | $6,000 | 20.8 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $14,790 | 32.3 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $7,300 | 21 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Hart (NYK) | $16,030 | 47.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Devin Vassell (SAS) | $13,420 | 39.6 | 3 |
| Fade | Tobias Harris (DET) | $12,350 | 25.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Grayson Allen (PHX) | $8,500 | 24.4 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $24,130 | 62.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Josh Hart (NYK) | $16,030 | 47.1 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Tobias Harris (DET) | $12,350 | 25.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $7,650 | 20.6 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $26,410 | 70.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Duren (DET) | $12,450 | 36.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Walker Kessler (UTA) | $13,560 | 32.8 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Isaiah Stewart (DET) | $7,500 | 19.2 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Josh Okogie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić 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 Kris Dunn.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tobias Harris 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 11:10am 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 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 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.
