NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 2, 2026
Last updated: Apr 1, 2026, 2:10PM | Published: Apr 1, 2026, 8:12AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 10:00am AEDT on April 2, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 2 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these games:
- Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs
- Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Houston Rockets vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics
- Toronto Raptors vs Sacramento Kings
- Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
- Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers
- Memphis Grizzlies vs New York Knicks
- Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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 make the best choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,590 | 72.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jalen Johnson (ATL, PF) | $19,180 | 62.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Sandro Mamukelashvili (TOR, C) | $11,230 | 16.4 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Tari Eason (HOU, SF/PF) | $9,690 | 28.4 | 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 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 | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | $19,040 | 53.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Immanuel Quickley (TOR) | $13,100 | 40.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $10,800 | 23.6 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Davion Mitchell (MIA) | $9,920 | 27.4 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,820 | 51.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Dyson Daniels (ATL) | $12,710 | 36.8 | 2.9 |
| Fade | VJ Edgecombe (PHI) | $16,660 | 33 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Baylor Scheierman (BOS) | $6,220 | 17.5 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,820 | 51.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $10,420 | 30.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Franz Wagner (ORL) | $13,910 | 26.5 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Tari Eason (HOU) | $9,690 | 28.4 | 2.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,180 | 62.7 | 3.3 |
| Value | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,180 | 62.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Olivier-Maxence Prosper (MEM) | $10,370 | 17 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Tari Eason (HOU) | $9,690 | 28.4 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,590 | 72.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $20,050 | 58.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Sandro Mamukelashvili (TOR) | $11,230 | 16.4 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA) | $8,390 | 23.7 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jalen Johnson. 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 Tari Eason.
On the other hand, according to our model, Sandro Mamukelashvili is one of the lowest 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 Thursday slate closes at 10:00am AEDT on Thursday. 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 Thursday 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 Thursday 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.
