NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 11, 2025
Last updated: Dec 10, 2025, 10:57AM | Published: Dec 10, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 11:30am AEDT on December 11, 2025, 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 essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate features these games:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns
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 most accurate DFS projections available.
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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $25,510 | 66.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | LeBron James (LAL, SF/PF) | $15,520 | 48 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Keldon Johnson (SAS, SF) | $10,210 | 18.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS, PG/SG) | $9,390 | 28 | 3 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide 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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $25,510 | 66.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $9,390 | 28 | 3 |
| Fade | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $14,550 | 32.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $6,260 | 15.8 | 2.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $18,220 | 46.3 | 2.5 |
| Value | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $9,390 | 28 | 3 |
| Fade | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $14,550 | 32.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Alex Caruso (OKC) | $6,260 | 15.8 | 2.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $15,520 | 48 | 3.1 |
| Value | LeBron James (LAL) | $15,520 | 48 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $10,210 | 18.6 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $8,760 | 24.4 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $15,520 | 48 | 3.1 |
| Value | LeBron James (LAL) | $15,520 | 48 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $10,130 | 24 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $9,850 | 27.4 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chet Holmgren (OKC) | $13,890 | 34.8 | 2.5 |
| Value | Deandre Ayton (LAL) | $12,590 | 34 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Luke Kornet (SAS) | $11,300 | 23.2 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,650 | 16.1 | 2.4 |
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 LeBron James. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić 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 Dylan Harper.
On the other hand, according to our model, Keldon Johnson 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 11:30am 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.
