NFL Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 5, 2026
Last updated: Jan 1, 2026, 2:06AM | Published: Jan 1, 2026, 12:09AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Monday DFS contest begins at 5:00am AEDT on January 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NFL contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on January 5 and beyond.
Featured NFL Games
Draftstars' NFL Monday slate consists of the following games:
- Las Vegas Raiders vs Kansas City Chiefs
- Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers
- Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
- Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals
- New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys
- Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders
- Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets
- New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins
- Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers
- Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts
- Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns
- Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints
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 best DFS projections in the world.
With the latest 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 make the best picks on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Puka Nacua (LA, FLEX/WR) | $17,750 | 27.6 | 1.6 |
| Value | Davante Adams (LA, FLEX/WR) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Malik Davis (DAL, FLEX/RB) | $10,080 | 6.9 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Chig Okonkwo (TEN, TE/FLEX) | $5,000 | 9.6 | 1.9 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer 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 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
QB (Quarterback)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trevor Lawrence (JAC) | $17,300 | 24 | 1.4 |
| Value | Justin Herbert (LAC) | $8,000 | 14.9 | 1.9 |
| Fade | Josh Allen (BUF) | $15,730 | 12.6 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Jalen Hurts (PHI) | $8,000 | 14.7 | 1.8 |
WR (Wide Receiver)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Puka Nacua (LA) | $17,750 | 27.6 | 1.6 |
| Value | Davante Adams (LA) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Drake London (ATL) | $13,470 | 12.2 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | DeVonta Smith (PHI) | $6,000 | 10.6 | 1.8 |
TE (Tight End)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trey McBride (ARI) | $16,040 | 14.2 | 0.9 |
| Value | Chig Okonkwo (TEN) | $5,000 | 9.6 | 1.9 |
| Fade | Harold Fannin (CLE) | $10,090 | 9.8 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Dalton Kincaid (BUF) | $5,000 | 8.3 | 1.7 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Bijan Robinson (ATL) | $17,790 | 21.8 | 1.2 |
| Value | Chase Brown (CIN) | $13,250 | 21.7 | 1.6 |
| Fade | Malik Davis (DAL) | $10,080 | 6.9 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Saquon Barkley (PHI) | $8,000 | 13.1 | 1.6 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NFL Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Davante Adams. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Puka Nacua 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 Chig Okonkwo.
On the other hand, according to our model, Malik Davis 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 5:00am 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 contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap 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.
