NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 26, 2026
Last updated: Mar 25, 2026, 11:03PM | Published: Mar 25, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 10:10am AEDT on March 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on March 26 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Detroit Pistons vs Atlanta Hawks
- Utah Jazz vs Washington Wizards
- Boston Celtics vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets
- Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs
- Indiana Pacers vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets
- LA Clippers vs Toronto Raptors
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
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 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) | $24,580 | 71.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jaxson Hayes (LAL, C) | $7,130 | 26.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Jalen Wilson (BKN, PF) | $10,280 | 15.9 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Luke Kennard (LAL, SG) | $6,250 | 22 | 3.5 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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) | $24,580 | 71.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Sharife Cooper (WAS) | $6,810 | 23.7 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $13,760 | 25.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Jamal Shead (TOR) | $7,200 | 23.2 | 3.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,090 | 49.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Luke Kennard (LAL) | $6,250 | 22 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $13,760 | 25.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Sam Merrill (CLE) | $9,270 | 28.2 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $19,260 | 51.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,530 | 24.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Justin Edwards (PHI) | $10,530 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Justin Champagnie (WAS) | $8,600 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,260 | 54.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,530 | 24.2 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jalen Wilson (BKN) | $10,280 | 15.9 | 1.6 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,560 | 22.9 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,600 | 70.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jaxson Hayes (LAL) | $7,130 | 26.6 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $10,630 | 19.3 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Paul Reed (DET) | $8,070 | 23 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jaxson Hayes. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Luke Kennard.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jalen Wilson is one of the worst 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 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 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.
