NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 26, 2026
Last updated: Feb 25, 2026, 9:00AM | Published: Feb 25, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest begins at 11:30am AEDT on February 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 February 26 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets vs Sacramento Kings
- Detroit Pistons vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics
- Toronto Raptors vs San Antonio Spurs
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the strongest 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,400 | 58.8 | 2.4 |
| Value | Jaylen Brown (BOS, SF) | $17,420 | 58.6 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Nique Clifford (SAC, SG) | $11,020 | 19 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS, PG/SG) | $8,380 | 24 | 2.9 |
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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $19,080 | 52.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,380 | 24 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Cason Wallace (OKC) | $11,810 | 22.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Aaron Holiday (HOU) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,020 | 48 | 2.8 |
| Value | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,380 | 24 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Nique Clifford (SAC) | $11,020 | 19 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,710 | 26.8 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $17,420 | 58.6 | 3.4 |
| Value | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $17,420 | 58.6 | 3.4 |
| Fade | GG Jackson (MEM) | $11,880 | 25.2 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Julian Champagnie (SAS) | $9,300 | 25.1 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $19,610 | 53.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,060 | 46.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Olivier-Maxence Prosper (MEM) | $10,620 | 21.7 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $8,850 | 23.3 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,400 | 58.8 | 2.4 |
| Value | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,060 | 46.4 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Paul Reed (DET) | $12,080 | 22.8 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Collin Murray-Boyles (TOR) | $7,600 | 19.8 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jaylen Brown. 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 Dylan Harper.
On the other hand, according to our model, Nique Clifford 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 contest. 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.
