NBA Tuesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 16, 2025
Last updated: Dec 15, 2025, 8:57PM | Published: Dec 15, 2025, 8:00AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Tuesday DFS contest starts at 11:00am AEDT on December 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy 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 improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on December 16 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Tuesday slate features these games:
- LA Clippers vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Boston Celtics vs Detroit Pistons
- Miami Heat vs Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets vs Houston Rockets
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best picks on Tuesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,330 | 56.4 | 2.2 |
| Value | Daniel Gafford (DAL, C) | $8,680 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA, C) | $10,110 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC, PF/C) | $9,910 | 28.9 | 2.9 |
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'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 | James Harden (LAC) | $18,740 | 53.4 | 2.8 |
| Value | Immanuel Quickley (TOR) | $13,280 | 39.9 | 3 |
| Fade | Cam Spencer (MEM) | $10,630 | 24.3 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Williams (DAL) | $9,930 | 29 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Amen Thompson (HOU) | $14,620 | 40.9 | 2.8 |
| Value | Amen Thompson (HOU) | $14,620 | 40.9 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Norman Powell (MIA) | $13,340 | 31.8 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Ace Bailey (UTA) | $9,840 | 27 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) | $16,970 | 45.7 | 2.7 |
| Value | Cameron Johnson (DEN) | $10,880 | 31.2 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Jaylen Brown (BOS) | $19,350 | 43.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Nicolas Batum (LAC) | $6,000 | 17.1 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $18,050 | 55.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Anthony Davis (DAL) | $18,050 | 55.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Santi Aldama (MEM) | $13,740 | 31 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC) | $9,910 | 28.9 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,330 | 56.4 | 2.2 |
| Value | Daniel Gafford (DAL) | $8,680 | 26.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $10,110 | 17.5 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | John Collins (LAC) | $9,910 | 28.9 | 2.9 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Tuesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Daniel Gafford. 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, check out our cheapie options, including John Collins.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kel'el Ware is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Tuesday slate closes at 11:00am AEDT on Tuesday. 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 Tuesday 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 Tuesday 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.
