NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 23, 2025
Last updated: Oct 22, 2025, 10:57PM | Published: Oct 22, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest starts at 10:10am AEDT on October 23, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate consists of these games:
- Orlando Magic vs Miami Heat
- Atlanta Hawks vs Toronto Raptors
- New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers
- Utah Jazz vs LA Clippers
- Charlotte Hornets vs Brooklyn Nets
- Phoenix Suns vs Sacramento Kings
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Washington Wizards
- Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs
- Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons
- Memphis Grizzlies vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with some of the most reliable 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 find the best picks on Thursday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL, PF/C) | $23,930 | 68.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL, PF/SF) | $8,180 | 38.8 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA, C) | $11,250 | 21.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Tre Jones (CHI, PG) | $6,000 | 26.6 | 4.4 |
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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $20,490 | 56.7 | 2.8 |
| Value | Tre Jones (CHI) | $6,000 | 26.6 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Devin Booker (PHX) | $18,220 | 39.9 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Naji Marshall (DAL) | $6,000 | 21.1 | 3.5 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $17,900 | 46.9 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jaylon Tyson (CLE) | $6,000 | 23 | 3.8 |
| Fade | Devin Booker (PHX) | $18,220 | 39.9 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | VJ Edgecombe (PHI) | $6,840 | 25.1 | 3.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $15,840 | 43.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $8,180 | 38.8 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $11,910 | 23.9 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Ziaire Williams (BKN) | $6,000 | 21.3 | 3.5 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,930 | 68.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $8,180 | 38.8 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $11,910 | 23.9 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $7,080 | 27.5 | 3.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $23,930 | 68.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Guerschon Yabusele (NYK) | $6,000 | 23.7 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $11,250 | 21.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC) | $8,610 | 33.2 | 3.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday teams, consider starting with a value player like P.J. Washington. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Tre Jones.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kel'el Ware is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out 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 slate. 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.
