NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 26, 2026
Last updated: Mar 25, 2026, 9:57AM | Published: Mar 25, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest kicks off at 10:00am AEDT on March 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial 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 includes these games:
- Boston Celtics vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Detroit Pistons vs Atlanta Hawks
- Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz vs Washington Wizards
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
- Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets
- LA Clippers vs Toronto Raptors
- Indiana Pacers vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,600 | 72 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jamal Murray (DEN, PG) | $16,720 | 51.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Justin Edwards (PHI, SF) | $10,530 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Duncan Robinson (DET, SF) | $8,540 | 25.8 | 3 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $24,580 | 71.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jamal Murray (DEN) | $16,720 | 51.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $13,760 | 24.4 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $18,030 | 49.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $15,630 | 46 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Quentin Grimes (PHI) | $13,760 | 24.4 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $19,260 | 51.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,770 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Justin Edwards (PHI) | $10,530 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Duncan Robinson (DET) | $8,540 | 25.8 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,260 | 54.3 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,260 | 54.3 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jalen Williams (OKC) | $13,090 | 24.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $7,530 | 19.9 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,600 | 72 | 2.9 |
| Value | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,600 | 72 | 2.9 |
| 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 Jamal Murray. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić 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 Duncan Robinson.
On the other hand, according to our model, Justin Edwards 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 10:00am 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 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.
