NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 19, 2026
Last updated: Mar 18, 2026, 11:08PM | Published: Mar 18, 2026, 8:00AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest begins at 10:10am AEDT on March 19, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 March 19 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes these match-ups:
- Memphis Grizzlies vs Denver Nuggets
- Indiana Pacers vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Brooklyn Nets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers
- Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks
- Chicago Bulls vs Toronto Raptors
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz
- Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors
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 strongest DFS projections in the world.
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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,980 | 71.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kevin Durant (HOU, SG/SF) | $15,580 | 50.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Javon Small (MEM, PG/SG) | $11,750 | 20.2 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Spencer Jones (DEN, SF) | $6,000 | 19.1 | 3.2 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $24,390 | 64.9 | 2.7 |
| Value | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $9,880 | 30 | 3 |
| Fade | Javon Small (MEM) | $11,750 | 20.2 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Quenton Jackson (IND) | $6,140 | 17.7 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $15,580 | 50.3 | 3.2 |
| Value | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $15,580 | 50.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Javon Small (MEM) | $11,750 | 20.2 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Isaiah Joe (OKC) | $7,260 | 22 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,590 | 51.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $15,580 | 50.3 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Cody Williams (UTA) | $12,870 | 23.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Spencer Jones (DEN) | $6,000 | 19.1 | 3.2 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $21,030 | 59.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kobe Brown (IND) | $6,900 | 21.5 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jonathan Kuminga (ATL) | $10,720 | 20.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Anderson (MIN) | $7,720 | 24.1 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,980 | 71.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Kyle Anderson (MIN) | $7,720 | 24.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Nic Claxton (BKN) | $11,480 | 21.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Jay Huff (IND) | $8,600 | 23.9 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kevin Durant. 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 Spencer Jones.
On the other hand, according to our model, Javon Small 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 10:10am 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 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.
