NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 5, 2026
Last updated: Feb 4, 2026, 12:14PM | Published: Feb 4, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on February 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Milwaukee Bucks vs New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks vs Denver Nuggets
- LA Clippers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Houston Rockets vs Boston Celtics
- Sacramento Kings vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Toronto Raptors vs Minnesota Timberwolves
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 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,870 | 52.8 | 2.1 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK, SF/SG) | $12,410 | 37 | 3 |
| Fade | Kevin Porter (MIL, PG/SG) | $14,830 | 25.8 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Jose Alvarado (NOP, PG) | $8,290 | 23.6 | 2.8 |
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 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | $19,390 | 50.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jose Alvarado (NOP) | $8,290 | 23.6 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Kevin Porter (MIL) | $14,830 | 25.8 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Craig Porter (CLE) | $7,130 | 19.5 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,970 | 50 | 2.8 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK) | $12,410 | 37 | 3 |
| Fade | Kevin Porter (MIL) | $14,830 | 25.8 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (MEM) | $8,670 | 23.2 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,240 | 51.2 | 2.7 |
| Value | Mikal Bridges (NYK) | $12,410 | 37 | 3 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $14,520 | 29.5 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $9,560 | 24.7 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,740 | 48 | 2.9 |
| Value | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,740 | 48 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $14,520 | 29.5 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Jordan Walsh (BOS) | $6,000 | 16.9 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,870 | 52.8 | 2.1 |
| Value | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,740 | 48 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Neemias Queta (BOS) | $10,100 | 20.4 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Brook Lopez (LAC) | $6,190 | 14.7 | 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 Mikal Bridges. 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 Jose Alvarado.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kevin Porter 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 11:10am 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.
