NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for May 7, 2026
Last updated: May 6, 2026, 10:57AM | Published: May 6, 2026, 9:00AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest commences at 9:00am AEST on May 7, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on May 7 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate features these games:
- New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers
- San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the best 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 | Victor Wembanyama (SAS, C) | $21,060 | 60.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS, PG/SG) | $12,730 | 41 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Joel Embiid (PHI, C) | $17,910 | 43.9 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS, SG/PG) | $8,530 | 26.1 | 3.1 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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 | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | $16,730 | 48.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $12,730 | 41 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $15,310 | 37.6 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,530 | 26.1 | 3.1 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $12,730 | 41 | 3.2 |
| Value | Stephon Castle (SAS) | $12,730 | 41 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $15,310 | 37.6 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Dylan Harper (SAS) | $8,530 | 26.1 | 3.1 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paul George (PHI) | $13,590 | 43.4 | 3.2 |
| Value | Paul George (PHI) | $13,590 | 43.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Jaden McDaniels (MIN) | $11,480 | 28.5 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $9,230 | 27.9 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | $17,110 | 48.9 | 2.9 |
| Value | Josh Hart (NYK) | $11,950 | 36.9 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Julius Randle (MIN) | $14,810 | 36.7 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $9,230 | 27.9 | 3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $21,060 | 60.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | Naz Reid (MIN) | $10,540 | 31.6 | 3 |
| Fade | Joel Embiid (PHI) | $17,910 | 43.9 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Mitchell Robinson (NYK) | $7,500 | 17 | 2.3 |
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 Stephon Castle. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Victor Wembanyama 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 Dylan Harper.
On the other hand, according to our model, Joel Embiid is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate closes at 9:00am AEST 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.
