NFL Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 19, 2026
Last updated: Jan 15, 2026, 4:07AM | Published: Jan 15, 2026, 1:08AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Monday DFS contest commences at 7:00am AEDT on January 19, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NFL contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Monday and beyond.
Featured NFL Games
Draftstars' NFL Monday slate includes the following match-ups:
- Chicago Bears vs Los Angeles Rams
- New England Patriots vs Houston Texans
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the best NFL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NFL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best selections on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Puka Nacua (LA, FLEX/WR) | $19,990 | 23.6 | 1.2 |
| Value | Luther Burden (CHI, WR/FLEX) | $8,520 | 11.5 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Nico Collins (HOU, WR/FLEX) | $13,770 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Dalton Schultz (HOU, FLEX/TE) | $8,410 | 11.3 | 1.3 |
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 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 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
QB (Quarterback)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Drake Maye (NE) | $15,410 | 16.4 | 1.1 |
| Value | Caleb Williams (CHI) | $13,870 | 15.5 | 1.1 |
| Fade | Matthew Stafford (LA) | $17,110 | 15 | 0.9 |
WR (Wide Receiver)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Puka Nacua (LA) | $19,990 | 23.6 | 1.2 |
| Value | Luther Burden (CHI) | $8,520 | 11.5 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Nico Collins (HOU) | $13,770 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
| Cheapie | Jayden Higgins (HOU) | $6,710 | 8.5 | 1.3 |
TE (Tight End)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Colston Loveland (CHI) | $10,790 | 13.9 | 1.3 |
| Value | Dalton Schultz (HOU) | $8,410 | 11.3 | 1.3 |
| Cheapie | Hunter Henry (NE) | $9,870 | 13 | 1.3 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kyren Williams (LA) | $13,120 | 13.2 | 1 |
| Value | Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) | $11,010 | 13.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | D'Andre Swift (CHI) | $12,090 | 12.9 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | TreVeyon Henderson (NE) | $9,220 | 9.5 | 1 |
Conclusion
When building your NFL Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Luther Burden. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Puka Nacua 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 Dalton Schultz.
On the other hand, according to our model, Nico Collins is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if entering multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NFL Monday slate closes at 7:00am AEDT on Monday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NFL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NFL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NFL Monday slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your NFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NFL Monday 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.
