NBA Tuesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 17, 2026
Last updated: Mar 16, 2026, 11:03AM | Published: Mar 16, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Tuesday DFS contest commences at 10:00am AEDT on March 17, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Tuesday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Tuesday slate features the following match-ups:
- Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Washington Wizards vs Golden State Warriors
- Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns
- Brooklyn Nets vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic
- LA Clippers vs San Antonio Spurs
- Chicago Bulls vs Memphis Grizzlies
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks
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 reliable 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Tuesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $25,850 | 62.5 | 2.4 |
| Value | DeJon Jarreau (MEM, SG) | $6,000 | 21.2 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Jonathan Kuminga (ATL, PF) | $10,810 | 18.2 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Yves Missi (NOP, C) | $6,940 | 24.6 | 3.5 |
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 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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $25,850 | 62.5 | 2.4 |
| Value | Trae Young (WAS) | $11,280 | 35.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Javon Small (MEM) | $11,750 | 25.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Brandon Williams (DAL) | $9,000 | 25.9 | 2.9 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $16,490 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | DeJon Jarreau (MEM) | $6,000 | 21.2 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Javon Small (MEM) | $11,750 | 25.3 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Herbert Jones (NOP) | $8,830 | 26.6 | 3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $16,490 | 51.2 | 3.1 |
| Value | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $6,000 | 20.1 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Bennedict Mathurin (LAC) | $12,990 | 28.2 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Julian Champagnie (SAS) | $8,500 | 27.7 | 3.3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $19,730 | 60.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $6,000 | 20.1 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Jonathan Kuminga (ATL) | $10,810 | 18.2 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $6,750 | 20.8 | 3.1 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $21,510 | 52.9 | 2.5 |
| Value | Yves Missi (NOP) | $6,940 | 24.6 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Daniel Gafford (DAL) | $11,260 | 25.4 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Nick Richards (CHI) | $7,120 | 23.1 | 3.2 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Tuesday teams, consider starting with a value player like DeJon Jarreau. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Luka Dončić is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Yves Missi.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jonathan Kuminga 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 10:00am 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 slate. 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.
