NBA Monday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 16, 2024
Last updated: Dec 15, 2024, 10:57PM | Published: Dec 15, 2024, 7:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Monday DFS contest kicks off at 10:10am AEDT on December 16, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you make winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on December 16 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Monday slate features the following games:
- San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves
- Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks
- Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Golden State Warriors vs Dallas Mavericks
- Washington Wizards vs Boston Celtics
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the best DFS projections in the world.
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'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 | Anthony Davis (LAL, C) | $22,240 | 60 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jusuf Nurkić (PHX, C) | $11,730 | 37.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | D'Angelo Russell (LAL, PG) | $11,490 | 19.7 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Sam Hauser (BOS, PF/SF) | $7,200 | 20.6 | 2.9 |
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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Luka Dončić (DAL) | $22,860 | 54.4 | 2.4 |
| Value | Derrick White (BOS) | $13,080 | 40.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | D'Angelo Russell (LAL) | $11,490 | 19.7 | 1.7 |
| Cheapie | Carlton Carrington (WAS) | $8,830 | 23.9 | 2.7 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Edwards (MIN) | $16,990 | 48.8 | 2.9 |
| Value | Derrick White (BOS) | $13,080 | 40.1 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Bilal Coulibaly (WAS) | $11,380 | 23.2 | 2 |
| Cheapie | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (ORL) | $7,030 | 19.3 | 2.7 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $19,310 | 52.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $7,200 | 20.6 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $11,340 | 21.1 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Quentin Grimes (DAL) | $7,030 | 18.7 | 2.7 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $19,310 | 52.5 | 2.7 |
| Value | Draymond Green (GSW) | $12,340 | 35.8 | 2.9 |
| Fade | Royce O'Neale (PHX) | $11,340 | 21.1 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Sam Hauser (BOS) | $7,200 | 20.6 | 2.9 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Anthony Davis (LAL) | $22,240 | 60 | 2.7 |
| Value | Jusuf Nurkić (PHX) | $11,730 | 37.4 | 3.2 |
| Fade | Moritz Wagner (ORL) | $11,380 | 21.1 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Sandro Mamukelashvili (SAS) | $6,000 | 16.9 | 2.8 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Monday teams, consider starting with a value player like Jusuf Nurkić. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Anthony Davis is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Sam Hauser.
On the other hand, according to our model, D'Angelo Russell 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 Monday slate closes at 10:10am AEDT on Monday. 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 Monday contest. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your NBA DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NBA 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.
