NBA Thursday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for October 30, 2025
Last updated: Oct 29, 2025, 8:57PM | Published: Oct 29, 2025, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday DFS contest commences at 10:00am AEDT on October 30, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential 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 October 30 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday slate includes the following games:
- Dallas Mavericks vs Indiana Pacers
- Chicago Bulls vs Sacramento Kings
- Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic
- Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Denver Nuggets vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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) | $23,470 | 66.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN, PF/SF) | $7,080 | 30.5 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Isaiah Stewart (DET, C) | $10,500 | 19.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Tony Bradley (IND, C) | $6,210 | 24.6 | 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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) | $16,090 | 50.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | Russell Westbrook (SAC) | $9,020 | 32.1 | 3.6 |
| Fade | Ben Sheppard (IND) | $11,320 | 20.9 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Bones Hyland (MIN) | $6,000 | 18 | 3 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Devin Booker (PHX) | $16,250 | 44.8 | 2.8 |
| Value | Dyson Daniels (ATL) | $8,720 | 33.7 | 3.9 |
| Fade | Ben Sheppard (IND) | $11,320 | 20.9 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Caris LeVert (DET) | $6,000 | 19.8 | 3.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $16,170 | 43 | 2.7 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $7,080 | 30.5 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $17,840 | 34.8 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Dyson Daniels (ATL) | $8,720 | 33.7 | 3.9 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $19,850 | 56.6 | 2.9 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $7,080 | 30.5 | 4.3 |
| Fade | Lauri Markkanen (UTA) | $17,840 | 34.8 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Filipowski (UTA) | $7,560 | 26.1 | 3.4 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $23,470 | 66.1 | 2.8 |
| Value | Tony Bradley (IND) | $6,210 | 24.6 | 4 |
| Fade | Isaiah Stewart (DET) | $10,500 | 19.2 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Kyle Filipowski (UTA) | $7,560 | 26.1 | 3.4 |
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 Cameron Johnson. 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, take a look at our cheapie options, including Tony Bradley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Isaiah Stewart is one of the lowest 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 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 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.
