NBA Wednesday Late 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 Late DFS contest begins at 2:30pm AEDT on January 14, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every 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 assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 14 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday Late slate consists of the following games:
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks
- Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver 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 selections 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 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 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) | $23,290 | 62.3 | 2.7 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $8,610 | 24.2 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Jrue Holiday (POR) | $14,400 | 19.1 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,840 | 21.1 | 2.4 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | $15,280 | 38.9 | 2.5 |
| Value | De'Anthony Melton (GSW) | $8,610 | 24.2 | 2.8 |
| Fade | CJ McCollum (ATL) | $11,690 | 24.8 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Marcus Smart (LAL) | $8,840 | 21.1 | 2.4 |
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 | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $11,240 | 22.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $7,920 | 21.8 | 2.8 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Johnson (ATL) | $20,100 | 55.6 | 2.8 |
| Value | Jimmy Butler (GSW) | $14,600 | 45.2 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Jake LaRavia (LAL) | $11,240 | 22.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Rui Hachimura (LAL) | $7,920 | 21.8 | 2.8 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Donovan Clingan (POR) | $13,780 | 35.2 | 2.6 |
| Value | Deandre Ayton (LAL) | $11,630 | 30.7 | 2.6 |
| Fade | Onyeka Okongwu (ATL) | $14,770 | 31.2 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | $6,940 | 17.6 | 2.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Wednesday Late 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 putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NBA Wednesday Late slate closes at 2:30pm 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 Late 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 Late 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.
