NBA Thursday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 26, 2026
Last updated: Mar 26, 2026, 1:58AM | Published: Mar 25, 2026, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Thursday Late DFS contest starts at 1:10pm 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.
A reliable 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 enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Thursday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Thursday Late slate consists of the following games:
- Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
- LA Clippers vs Toronto Raptors
- Portland Trail Blazers vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors vs Brooklyn Nets
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 accurate DFS projections available.
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 have 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 | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $24,600 | 72.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jericho Sims (MIL, C/PF) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Jalen Wilson (BKN, PF) | $10,280 | 10.9 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Marvin Bagley (DAL, C) | $8,400 | 29.9 | 3.6 |
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 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 | Deni Avdija (POR) | $16,770 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Jamal Shead (TOR) | $7,200 | 23.2 | 3.2 |
| 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 | 35.1 | 2.7 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $9,290 | 27.1 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $13,450 | 31.1 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Malachi Smith (BKN) | $6,000 | 17.3 | 2.9 |
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 | Josh Minott (BKN) | $11,350 | 20.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Derrick Jones (LAC) | $8,560 | 22.9 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $18,340 | 46.2 | 2.5 |
| Value | Jericho Sims (MIL) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Jalen Wilson (BKN) | $10,280 | 10.9 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Pete Nance (MIL) | $7,940 | 21.9 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $24,600 | 72.1 | 2.9 |
| Value | Jericho Sims (MIL) | $6,000 | 23.9 | 4 |
| Fade | Nic Claxton (BKN) | $11,330 | 23 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Marvin Bagley (DAL) | $8,400 | 29.9 | 3.6 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Thursday Late teams, consider starting with a value player like Jericho Sims. 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 Marvin Bagley.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jalen Wilson 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 Late slate closes at 1:10pm 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 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 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.
