NBA Wednesday Late Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for February 26, 2025
Last updated: Feb 26, 2025, 1:57AM | Published: Feb 25, 2025, 10:58AM
Draftstars Australia's NBA Wednesday Late DFS contest starts at 2:00pm AEDT on February 26, 2025, 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 NBA fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NBA contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on February 26 and beyond.
Featured NBA Games
Draftstars' NBA Wednesday Late slate consists of the following games:
- Golden State Warriors vs Charlotte Hornets
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
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 make the best picks on Wednesday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL, SF/PF) | $21,250 | 54.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nick Smith (CHA, SF/SG) | $7,960 | 26.3 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Klay Thompson (DAL, SG) | $10,720 | 22.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Elfrid Payton (CHA, PG) | $6,970 | 21.7 | 3.1 |
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 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 (LAL) | $20,430 | 54.4 | 2.7 |
| Value | Elfrid Payton (CHA) | $6,970 | 21.7 | 3.1 |
| Fade | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $16,880 | 38.7 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Spencer Dinwiddie (DAL) | $7,960 | 17.3 | 2.2 |
SG (Shooting Guard)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Austin Reaves (LAL) | $16,880 | 38.7 | 2.3 |
| Value | Nick Smith (CHA) | $7,960 | 26.3 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Klay Thompson (DAL) | $10,720 | 22.6 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Gary Payton (GSW) | $6,000 | 13.1 | 2.2 |
SF (Small Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $21,250 | 54.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Nick Smith (CHA) | $7,960 | 26.3 | 3.3 |
| Fade | Max Christie (DAL) | $10,800 | 22.9 | 2.1 |
| Cheapie | Josh Green (CHA) | $6,440 | 19.1 | 3 |
PF (Power Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | LeBron James (LAL) | $21,250 | 54.5 | 2.6 |
| Value | Draymond Green (GSW) | $12,850 | 34.2 | 2.7 |
| Fade | P.J. Washington (DAL) | $15,280 | 35.1 | 2.3 |
| Cheapie | Dorian Finney-Smith (LAL) | $7,510 | 19.8 | 2.6 |
C (Center)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Mark Williams (CHA) | $14,310 | 36.1 | 2.5 |
| Value | Quinten Post (GSW) | $6,600 | 18 | 2.7 |
| Fade | Draymond Green (GSW) | $12,850 | 34.2 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Kevon Looney (GSW) | $6,940 | 18.4 | 2.6 |
Conclusion
When building your NBA Wednesday Late teams, consider starting with a value player like Nick Smith. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, LeBron James 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 Elfrid Payton.
On the other hand, according to our model, Klay Thompson is one of the lowest 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 Wednesday Late slate closes at 2:00pm AEDT 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 Late 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 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.
