NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 14, 2026
Last updated: Jan 13, 2026, 9:58AM | Published: Jan 13, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest starts at 11:30am AEDT on January 14, 2026, 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 essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Wednesday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate includes these match-ups:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks
- Houston Rockets vs Chicago Bulls
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets
- Miami Heat vs Phoenix Suns
- Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs
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 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 have reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best choices on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $23,290 | 62.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jimmy Butler (GSW, SF/PF) | $14,600 | 45.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR, PG) | $14,400 | 19.1 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW, PG/SG) | $8,610 | 24.2 | 2.8 |
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 are 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) | $23,290 | 62.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | Ryan Rollins (MIL) | $13,050 | 38 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $14,400 | 19.1 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $8,610 | 24.2 | 2.8 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kevin Durant (HOU) | $18,300 | 46.1 | 2.5 |
| Value | Collin Gillespie (PHX) | $11,840 | 33.5 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jalen Pickett (DEN) | $10,520 | 18.8 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $8,610 | 24.2 | 2.8 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,460 | 52.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jimmy Butler (GSW) | $14,600 | 45.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bruce Brown (DEN) | $10,040 | 19.4 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Bryce McGowens (NOP) | $6,240 | 17.5 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,330 | 56.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jimmy Butler (GSW) | $14,600 | 45.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Zeke Nnaji (DEN) | $11,490 | 15.7 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $7,920 | 21.8 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $20,330 | 56.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Alperen Sengun (HOU) | $17,880 | 50 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Zeke Nnaji (DEN) | $11,490 | 15.7 | 1.4 |
| Cheapie | Steven Adams (HOU) | $9,100 | 23.3 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jimmy Butler. 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, check out our cheapie options, including De'Anthony Melton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jrue Holiday is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate closes at 11:30am 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 help you balance star power, value and budget management 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.
