NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 1, 2026
Last updated: Dec 31, 2025, 11:57PM | Published: Dec 31, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 11:10am AEDT on January 1, 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 a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 1 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Washington Wizards
- San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Toronto Raptors vs Denver Nuggets
- Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans
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 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC, PG) | $19,940 | 55.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Justin Champagnie (WAS, SF) | $8,460 | 26.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Spencer Jones (DEN, SF) | $10,930 | 22.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS, SF) | $9,490 | 29.2 | 3.1 |
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 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) | $19,940 | 55.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | Scottie Barnes (TOR) | $16,740 | 49.2 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Bub Carrington (WAS) | $10,010 | 22.7 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Jeremiah Fears (NOP) | $9,790 | 27.2 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Porter (MIL) | $17,210 | 49.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kevin Huerter (CHI) | $9,610 | 29 | 3 |
| Fade | RJ Barrett (TOR) | $12,540 | 27.5 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Okoro (CHI) | $6,980 | 18.6 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $19,440 | 50 | 2.6 |
| Value | Justin Champagnie (WAS) | $8,460 | 26.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Spencer Jones (DEN) | $10,930 | 22.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $9,490 | 29.2 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,040 | 54.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Zion Williamson (NOP) | $16,480 | 49.1 | 3 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $13,820 | 29.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $8,810 | 23.9 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,040 | 54.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Nikola Vučević (CHI) | $15,360 | 41.9 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $13,820 | 29.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Collin Murray-Boyles (TOR) | $7,960 | 19.2 | 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 Justin Champagnie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 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 Keldon Johnson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Spencer Jones is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering 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 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.
