NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for March 18, 2026
Last updated: Mar 17, 2026, 11:01AM | Published: Mar 17, 2026, 7:59AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest commences at 10:00am AEDT on March 18, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on March 18 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate features the following match-ups:
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs Phoenix Suns
- Denver Nuggets vs Philadelphia 76ers
- New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers
- Washington Wizards vs Detroit Pistons
- Orlando Magic vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Charlotte Hornets vs Miami Heat
- Sacramento Kings vs San Antonio Spurs
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 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've 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 | Nikola Jokić (DEN, C) | $25,980 | 72.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Trendon Watford (PHI, PF) | $6,430 | 23.7 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Anthony Black (ORL, PG/SG) | $11,360 | 19.4 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Kobe Brown (IND, PF) | $6,000 | 19.8 | 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 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 | Cade Cunningham (DET) | $20,810 | 55.8 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jalen Suggs (ORL) | $11,970 | 38.6 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Anthony Black (ORL) | $11,360 | 19.4 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Collin Gillespie (PHX) | $9,700 | 31.2 | 3.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) | $17,010 | 49.4 | 2.9 |
| Value | Kon Knueppel (CHA) | $12,220 | 39 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Anthony Black (ORL) | $11,360 | 19.4 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Caris LeVert (DET) | $6,000 | 18.7 | 3.1 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Brandon Miller (CHA) | $13,650 | 42.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | Kon Knueppel (CHA) | $12,220 | 39 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $10,180 | 20.3 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Dean Wade (CLE) | $6,000 | 19.1 | 3.2 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) | $19,230 | 49.7 | 2.6 |
| Value | Trendon Watford (PHI) | $6,430 | 23.7 | 3.7 |
| Fade | Kyle Kuzma (MIL) | $10,180 | 20.3 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kobe Brown (IND) | $6,000 | 19.8 | 3.3 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Nikola Jokić (DEN) | $25,980 | 72.5 | 2.8 |
| Value | Paul Reed (DET) | $7,620 | 23.3 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Ivica Zubac (IND) | $12,070 | 25.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Grant Williams (CHA) | $6,000 | 18.1 | 3 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Trendon Watford. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Nikola Jokić is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Kobe Brown.
On the other hand, according to our model, Anthony Black 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 10:00am 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 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.
