NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 21, 2026
Last updated: Jan 20, 2026, 11:01AM | Published: Jan 20, 2026, 7:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest commences at 11:00am 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 handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together 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 games:
- Philadelphia 76ers vs Phoenix Suns
- Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors
- Sacramento Kings vs Miami Heat
- Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs
- Chicago Bulls vs LA Clippers
- Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Utah Jazz 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 make some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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 selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (LAL, PG) | $22,970 | 59.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Will Richard (GSW, SG) | $6,000 | 19.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA, C) | $11,180 | 19.8 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Quinten Post (GSW, C) | $6,510 | 20.8 | 3.2 |
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 | Luka Dončić (LAL) | $22,970 | 59.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,970 | 54.5 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Josh Giddey (CHI) | $17,830 | 35.4 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Davion Mitchell (MIA) | $9,790 | 25.3 | 2.6 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $18,970 | 54.5 | 2.9 |
| Value | Will Richard (GSW) | $6,000 | 19.7 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Ayo Dosunmu (CHI) | $11,700 | 21.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Pelle Larsson (MIA) | $8,470 | 24.9 | 2.9 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,940 | 49.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | Pelle Larsson (MIA) | $8,470 | 24.9 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Ayo Dosunmu (CHI) | $11,700 | 21.1 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Moses Moody (GSW) | $8,570 | 24.1 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $18,940 | 49.6 | 2.6 |
| Value | John Collins (LAC) | $11,600 | 33.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $10,810 | 21.5 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,240 | 16.6 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | $19,010 | 48.8 | 2.6 |
| Value | Quinten Post (GSW) | $6,510 | 20.8 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Kel'el Ware (MIA) | $11,180 | 19.8 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,240 | 16.6 | 2.7 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Will Richard. 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 Quinten Post.
On the other hand, according to our model, Kel'el Ware is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate closes at 11:00am 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.
