NBA Thursday Late 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 Late DFS contest starts at 1:00pm AEDT on March 26, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data 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 put together 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 Late slate features these match-ups:
- LA Clippers vs Toronto Raptors
- Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets
- Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks
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 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 have 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 | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,600 | 72 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jamal Murray (DEN, PG) | $16,720 | 51.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC, SF/SG) | $13,450 | 25.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW, PG/SG) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
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're 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 | Jamal Murray (DEN) | $16,720 | 51.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jamal Murray (DEN) | $16,720 | 51.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Darius Garland (LAC) | $15,860 | 37.4 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | RJ Barrett (TOR) | $13,130 | 36.2 | 2.8 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $13,450 | 25.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Klay Thompson (DAL) | $9,170 | 22.7 | 2.5 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,770 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,770 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $13,450 | 25.9 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Ziaire Williams (BKN) | $7,770 | 20.3 | 2.6 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,340 | 47.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jerami Grant (POR) | $11,150 | 31.2 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jalen Wilson (BKN) | $10,280 | 21 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,560 | 21.4 | 2.5 |
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 | Nic Claxton (BKN) | $11,330 | 23 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Robert Williams (POR) | $8,740 | 22.5 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Thursday Late 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 seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including De'Anthony Melton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Bennedict Mathurin 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 Late slate closes at 1:00pm 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 Late 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 Late 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.
