NFL Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for September 21, 2026
Last updated: Sep 20, 2026, 3:11PM | Published: Sep 17, 2026, 7:09AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Monday DFS contest starts at 3:02am AEST on September 21, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build 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 games:
- Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals
- New York Jets vs Green Bay Packers
- Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders
- Tennessee Titans vs Philadelphia Eagles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Cleveland Browns
- Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle Seahawks
- New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers
- San Francisco 49ers vs Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Commanders
- Baltimore Ravens vs New Orleans Saints
- Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers
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 most reliable DFS projections available.
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 find the best picks on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Hurts (PHI, QB) | $16,840 | 23.2 | 1.4 |
| Value | Drew Lock (SEA, QB) | $9,030 | 14.2 | 1.6 |
| Fade | Jacory Croskey-Merritt (WAS, FLEX/RB) | $11,230 | 8.4 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Cooper Rush (ATL, QB) | $8,230 | 12.7 | 1.5 |
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 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
QB (Quarterback)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jalen Hurts (PHI) | $16,840 | 23.2 | 1.4 |
| Value | Drew Lock (SEA) | $9,030 | 14.2 | 1.6 |
| Fade | Jayden Daniels (WAS) | $16,410 | 18.2 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Cam Ward (TEN) | $8,770 | 13.5 | 1.5 |
WR (Wide Receiver)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) | $15,860 | 21.1 | 1.3 |
| Value | Wan'Dale Robinson (TEN) | $6,890 | 9.8 | 1.4 |
| Fade | Jalen Coker (CAR) | $11,620 | 8.8 | 0.8 |
| Cheapie | Makai Lemon (PHI) | $6,000 | 8 | 1.3 |
TE (Tight End)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trey McBride (ARI) | $13,140 | 14.5 | 1.1 |
| Value | Brenton Strange (JAC) | $7,090 | 8.2 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Tucker Kraft (GB) | $10,670 | 10 | 0.9 |
| Cheapie | Juwan Johnson (NO) | $8,880 | 10.1 | 1.1 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Christian McCaffrey (SF) | $17,780 | 18.7 | 1 |
| Value | Omarion Hampton (LAC) | $12,870 | 16.6 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Jacory Croskey-Merritt (WAS) | $11,230 | 8.4 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | J.K. Dobbins (DEN) | $8,420 | 10.6 | 1.3 |
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 Drew Lock. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jalen Hurts is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Cooper Rush.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jacory Croskey-Merritt 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' NFL Monday slate closes at 3:02am AEST 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 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.
