NFL Sunday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for December 29, 2024
Last updated: Dec 27, 2024, 8:06PM | Published: Dec 26, 2024, 1:06AM
Draftstars Australia's NFL Sunday DFS contest starts at 5:00am AEDT on December 29, 2024, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A handy Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NFL contests and enhance your season-long fantasy line-ups on December 29 and beyond.
Featured NFL Games
Draftstars' NFL Sunday slate features the following games:
- Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals
- New England Patriots vs Los Angeles Chargers
- Cincinnati Bengals vs Denver Broncos
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 strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 make the best choices on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ja'Marr Chase (CIN, FLEX/WR) | $18,030 | 21.4 | 1.2 |
| Value | Stone Smartt (LAC, TE/FLEX) | $5,000 | 7.7 | 1.5 |
| Fade | Puka Nacua (LA, WR/FLEX) | $17,200 | 17.7 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Mike Gesicki (CIN, FLEX/TE) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
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 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 | Joe Burrow (CIN) | $16,830 | 19.8 | 1.2 |
| Value | Kyler Murray (ARI) | $14,630 | 19 | 1.3 |
| Fade | Bo Nix (DEN) | $14,210 | 16.2 | 1.1 |
| Cheapie | Jake Browning (CIN) | $8,000 | 0.3 | 0 |
WR (Wide Receiver)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) | $18,030 | 21.4 | 1.2 |
| Value | Joshua Palmer (LAC) | $6,880 | 8.3 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Puka Nacua (LA) | $17,200 | 17.7 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Marvin Mims (DEN) | $6,000 | 6.9 | 1.1 |
TE (Tight End)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Trey McBride (ARI) | $11,810 | 15.3 | 1.3 |
| Value | Stone Smartt (LAC) | $5,000 | 7.7 | 1.5 |
| Cheapie | Mike Gesicki (CIN) | $5,000 | 6.6 | 1.3 |
RB (Running Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Chase Brown (CIN) | $17,010 | 18.8 | 1.1 |
| Value | Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) | $9,740 | 11.8 | 1.2 |
| Fade | Kyren Williams (LA) | $15,240 | 15.9 | 1 |
| Cheapie | Javonte Williams (DEN) | $8,540 | 10.1 | 1.2 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your NFL Sunday teams, consider starting with a value player like Stone Smartt. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Ja'Marr Chase 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 Mike Gesicki.
On the other hand, according to our model, Puka Nacua is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NFL Sunday slate closes at 5:00am AEDT on Sunday. 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 Sunday 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 Sunday 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.
