NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 21, 2026
Last updated: Jan 20, 2026, 11:58PM | Published: Jan 20, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest commences at 11:10am AEDT on January 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must 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 Wednesday and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate includes these match-ups:
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Phoenix Suns
- Chicago Bulls vs LA Clippers
- Utah Jazz vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors
- Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
- Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat
- Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers
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 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 find the best picks on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $22,970 | 59.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Kelly Oubre (PHI, SF/SG) | $9,540 | 32.5 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA, C) | $11,180 | 21.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Will Richard (GSW, SG) | $6,000 | 19.9 | 3.3 |
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 budget-conscious strategies, "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) | $22,970 | 59.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Walter Clayton (UTA) | $8,870 | 26.8 | 3 |
| Fade | Jalen Pickett (DEN) | $11,290 | 23.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Davion Mitchell (MIA) | $9,790 | 26.3 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,970 | 54.7 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $9,540 | 32.5 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Jalen Pickett (DEN) | $11,290 | 23.1 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Will Richard (GSW) | $6,000 | 19.9 | 3.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,940 | 49.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Kelly Oubre (PHI) | $9,540 | 32.5 | 3.4 |
| Fade | Tari Eason (HOU) | $11,730 | 24.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Buddy Hield (GSW) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,940 | 49.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Jabari Walker (PHI) | $6,000 | 17.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Tari Eason (HOU) | $11,730 | 24.1 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Dominick Barlow (PHI) | $7,300 | 21 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Alperen Sengun (HOU) | $17,860 | 45 | 2.5 |
| Value | Oso Ighodaro (PHX) | $6,010 | 19.1 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $11,180 | 21.2 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Adem Bona (PHI) | $6,000 | 16.8 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Kelly Oubre. 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 Will Richard.
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 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 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 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.
