NBA Wednesday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for April 16, 2025
Apr 14, 2025, 8:57AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday DFS contest kicks off at 9:30am AEST on April 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player on the slate to help you create winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on April 16 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday slate includes the following games:
- Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
- Golden State Warriors 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 come up with some of the best DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 find the best selections on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paolo Banchero (ORL, PF) | $17,820 | 58.1 | 3.3 |
| Value | Zach Edey (MEM, C) | $9,950 | 34.5 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Wendell Carter (ORL, C) | $10,040 | 24.7 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW, SG/SF) | $6,000 | 19.9 | 3.3 |
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
PG (Point Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Stephen Curry (GSW) | $16,750 | 53.1 | 3.2 |
| Value | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $11,180 | 38.7 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Ja Morant (MEM) | $16,590 | 46.7 | 2.8 |
| Cheapie | Scotty Pippen (MEM) | $8,650 | 27.5 | 3.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Desmond Bane (MEM) | $14,560 | 45.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | Brandin Podziemski (GSW) | $11,180 | 38.7 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Dyson Daniels (ATL) | $12,840 | 40.3 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,000 | 19.9 | 3.3 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Franz Wagner (ORL) | $15,990 | 51.2 | 3.2 |
| Value | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,000 | 19.9 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Desmond Bane (MEM) | $14,560 | 45.3 | 3.1 |
| Cheapie | Moses Moody (GSW) | $7,870 | 24.1 | 3.1 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Paolo Banchero (ORL) | $17,820 | 58.1 | 3.3 |
| Value | Paolo Banchero (ORL) | $17,820 | 58.1 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Santi Aldama (MEM) | $10,200 | 30 | 2.9 |
| Cheapie | Zaccharie Risacher (ATL) | $8,270 | 22.3 | 2.7 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jaren Jackson (MEM) | $14,540 | 47.4 | 3.3 |
| Value | Zach Edey (MEM) | $9,950 | 34.5 | 3.5 |
| Fade | Wendell Carter (ORL) | $10,040 | 24.7 | 2.5 |
| Cheapie | Kevon Looney (GSW) | $6,000 | 19 | 3.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NBA Wednesday teams, consider starting with a value player like Zach Edey. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Paolo Banchero 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 Gary Payton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Wendell Carter 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' NBA Wednesday slate closes at 9:30am AEST on Wednesday. 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 Wednesday slate. 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 Wednesday 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.
