NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 8, 2026
Last updated: Jan 7, 2026, 11:59PM | Published: Jan 7, 2026, 8:04AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 11:10am AEDT on January 8, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 8 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these match-ups:
- Charlotte Hornets vs Toronto Raptors
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Phoenix Suns
- New York Knicks vs LA Clippers
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Utah Jazz
- Brooklyn Nets vs Orlando Magic
- Detroit Pistons vs Chicago Bulls
- Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets
- Atlanta Hawks vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Golden State Warriors vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Houston Rockets
- San Antonio Spurs vs Los Angeles Lakers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate 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 choices on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $24,090 | 63.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jaden Ivey (DET, SG) | $6,850 | 36 | 5.3 |
| Fade | Aaron Gordon (DEN, PF) | $11,640 | 20.9 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Daniss Jenkins (DET, PG/SG) | $6,050 | 26 | 4.3 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $24,090 | 63.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $6,050 | 26 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Cam Spencer (MEM) | $13,250 | 27.5 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jase Richardson (ORL) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $18,340 | 51 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jaden Ivey (DET) | $6,850 | 36 | 5.3 |
| Fade | Anfernee Simons (BOS) | $10,150 | 22.7 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Daniss Jenkins (DET) | $6,050 | 26 | 4.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $19,990 | 54.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | GG Jackson (MEM) | $7,900 | 26.5 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Peyton Watson (DEN) | $13,530 | 24.5 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Keldon Johnson (SAS) | $9,640 | 31.2 | 3.2 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,300 | 59.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Karlo Matković (NOP) | $6,290 | 25.1 | 4 |
| Fade | Aaron Gordon (DEN) | $11,640 | 20.9 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Mouhamed Gueye (ATL) | $6,000 | 20.7 | 3.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $21,300 | 59.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Paul Reed (DET) | $9,580 | 39.6 | 4.1 |
| Fade | Bobby Portis (MIL) | $10,800 | 22.5 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Mouhamed Gueye (ATL) | $6,000 | 20.7 | 3.4 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jaden Ivey. 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, explore our cheapie options, including Daniss Jenkins.
On the other hand, according to our model, Aaron Gordon is one of the worst 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
