NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 1, 2025
Last updated: Dec 31, 2024, 11:57PM | Published: Dec 31, 2024, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest begins at 11:10am AEDT on January 1, 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 put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 1 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate features the following games:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- San Antonio Spurs vs LA Clippers
- Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 find the best selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (LAL, C) | $20,840 | 64.6 | 3.1 |
| Value | Anthony Davis (LAL, C) | $20,840 | 64.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Austin Reaves (LAL, PG/SG) | $16,070 | 32 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Max Strus (CLE, SF) | $6,000 | 18 | 3 |
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 | James Harden (LAC) | $17,470 | 49.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | James Harden (LAC) | $17,470 | 49.8 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $16,070 | 32 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $8,360 | 23.6 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $16,060 | 41 | 2.6 |
| Value | Devin Vassell (SAS) | $12,290 | 35.3 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $16,070 | 32 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kris Dunn (LAC) | $8,360 | 23.6 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $21,660 | 51.5 | 2.4 |
| Value | Max Strus (CLE) | $6,000 | 18 | 3 |
| Fade | Donte DiVincenzo (MIN) | $11,640 | 25.6 | 2.2 |
| Cheapie | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $9,630 | 26.8 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $21,660 | 51.5 | 2.4 |
| Value | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $9,630 | 26.8 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jeremy Sochan (SAS) | $12,960 | 30.5 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Harrison Barnes (SAS) | $7,240 | 19.1 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (LAL) | $20,840 | 64.6 | 3.1 |
| Value | Anthony Davis (LAL) | $20,840 | 64.6 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $24,020 | 57 | 2.4 |
| Cheapie | Jay Huff (MEM) | $9,110 | 23.1 | 2.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Anthony Davis. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Anthony Davis 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 Max Strus.
On the other hand, according to our model, Austin Reaves is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate closes at 11:10am AEDT on Wednesday. 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 Wednesday 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 Wednesday 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.
