NFL Monday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 5, 2026
Last updated: Jan 1, 2026, 2:07AM | Published: Jan 1, 2026, 12:09AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Monday Late DFS contest begins at 8:25am AEDT on January 5, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NFL contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on Monday and beyond.
Featured NFL Games
Draftstars' NFL Monday Late slate consists of these games:
- Las Vegas Raiders vs Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals
- Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions
- Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets
- Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers
- New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins
- Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make 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've reviewed every player from every team to help you make the best selections on Monday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Puka Nacua (LA, WR/FLEX) | $17,750 | 27.6 | 1.6 |
| Value | Davante Adams (LA, FLEX/WR) | $6,000 | 17 | 2.8 |
| Fade | Tank Bigsby (PHI, RB/FLEX) | $13,010 | 9.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Justin Herbert (LAC, QB) | $8,000 | 14.9 | 1.9 |
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 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 | Drake Maye (NE) | $16,260 | 22.2 | 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 | Jameson Williams (DET) | $13,050 | 12.6 | 1 |
| 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 | Dalton Kincaid (BUF) | $5,000 | 8.3 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Hunter Henry (NE) | $8,070 | 13.2 | 1.6 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) | $19,760 | 21.6 | 1.1 |
| Value | Saquon Barkley (PHI) | $8,000 | 13.1 | 1.6 |
| Fade | Tank Bigsby (PHI) | $13,010 | 9.2 | 0.7 |
| Cheapie | Omarion Hampton (LAC) | $8,000 | 11.8 | 1.5 |
Conclusion
When building your NFL Monday Late 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 looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Justin Herbert.
On the other hand, according to our model, Tank Bigsby 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 Late slate closes at 8:25am 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 Late slate. 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 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.
