NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 9, 2026
Last updated: Apr 8, 2026, 11:57AM | Published: Apr 8, 2026, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 9:00am AEST on April 9, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 9 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate features these games:
- San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers
- LA Clippers vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Detroit Pistons vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks
- Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets 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 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 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) | $25,490 | 76.1 | 3 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR, SG/SF) | $8,630 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Taurean Prince (MIL, SF/PF) | $10,280 | 10.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Robert Williams (POR, C) | $8,700 | 25.3 | 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'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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,590 | 51.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,590 | 51.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $10,500 | 16.8 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $6,150 | 15.9 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $16,760 | 45.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR) | $8,630 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Anthony Black (ORL) | $11,310 | 19.8 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Tim Hardaway (DEN) | $8,030 | 20.9 | 2.6 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $17,590 | 51.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Matisse Thybulle (POR) | $8,630 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $10,280 | 10.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,120 | 21.2 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,480 | 56.3 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,480 | 56.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Taurean Prince (MIL) | $10,280 | 10.3 | 1 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC) | $9,800 | 26.2 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,490 | 76.1 | 3 |
| Value | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,490 | 76.1 | 3 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $12,350 | 22.8 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Robert Williams (POR) | $8,700 | 25.3 | 2.9 |
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 Matisse Thybulle. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Robert Williams.
On the other hand, according to our model, Taurean Prince is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 9:00am AEST 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap 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.
