Tonight’s DFS CBB slate may be a small one - just three games on both sites - but there are some top-tier players and three Top 25 teams in action. Texas Tech-Duke is the headliner in a battle of 10-win teams on the big stage at Madison Square Garden. Purdue’s Carsen Edwards is always a threat to drop 40 in a matchup with Ohio. And then we have undefeated Houston, who will have its hands full with Utah State tonight.

Simply enough, all three games make up DraftKings’ and FanDuel’s slates tonight. We’ll handle today’s playbook and breakdowns a bit differently, though. Let’s go over the top three players you’ll want to prioritize in your lineups from each matchup and then take a look at some example lineups for both sites.

Take note of the Vegas over/under’s and the favored teams from each game as well.

Texas Tech vs. Duke (146 O/U; Duke -7)

RJ Barrett - DUKE ($10,800 DK / $8,900 FD) & Zion Williamson - DUKE ($10,500 DK / $9,200 FD) - At this point it’s really a toss-up when deciding between paying up for Barrett or Williamson when Duke is on the slate. Both average 40 fantasy points per outing with the realistic possibility to put up 50. Barrett likely deserves to be the higher-priced of the two as he takes (and makes) more shots and offers more upside in assists. Williamson, though, has been a force defensively, averaging two blocks and two steals per game on the season - including at least two swipes in each of the last six games. Take note that Barrett is listed as a guard on FanDuel - where he’s the cheaper of the two - while both are forwards on DraftKings.

Matt Mooney - TT ($6,200 DK / $6,300 FD) - Considering Mooney’s role for the Red Raiders as their second-leading scorer, he’s a little underpriced on both sites. Mooney also anchors one of the best defenses in the country with his 2.2 steals per game. He offers enough production in nearly every stat category (except blocks) to provide a floor of 20-25 fantasy points - the ideal cash game play at this price.

Ohio @ Purdue (148 O/U; Purdue -16)

Carsen Edwards - PUR ($9,300 DK / $8,400 FD) - It’s tough to fit in both Edwards and one of Barrett/Williamson tonight - but you may have to find a way. Edwards is a one-man wrecking crew for Purdue - taking nearly 20 shots per game with about half coming from 3-point range. He’s only had one game with less than 30 fantasy points this season and is far and away Purdue’s go-to scorer. There is a small risk that Edwards doesn’t reach his normal averages, though, if Purdue has this one in the bag in the second half.

Doug Taylor - OHIO ($6,600 DK / $7,300 FD) - Taylor is one of those rare starters who grabs more rebounds than scores points - but is still reliable for 25-30 fantasy points. The 6’9” junior forward has five games of 10+ rebounds, including 29 combined boards over the last two outings. At first thought, Purdue may present a tougher challenge on the glass for Taylor - but the Boilermakers don’t possess an elite rebounder, by any means, allowing Taylor to gobble up his fair share of missed shots.

Nojel Eastern - PUR ($4,300 DK / $5,400 FD) - Eastern has been a very reliable cash game play this season. As a regular starter for Purdue, he does just enough in every stat category to provide 15-20 fantasy points on a nightly basis - returning value on his low price tag on DK. He’s a little tougher to roster on FanDuel - but with such a small slate tonight, there are worse plays in the price range.

Utah State @ Houston (140.5 O/U; Houston -5.5)

Sam Merrill - UTST ($8,400 DK / $8,000 FD) - If you’re not paying up for Edwards at guard tonight, Merrill is a solid pivot for salary savings. As Utah State’s leading scorer, Merrill averages 20 real points per game at a 51% clip, with eight rebounds/assists in each contest as well. In this road matchup, expect Merrill to be the focal point of the offense yet again as Utah State will need to score their fair share.

Galen Robinson Jr. - HOU ($6,500 DK / $6,700 FD) - Many DFS players may be tempted to play Armoni Brooks or Corey Davis Jr. tonight if they want some Houston exposure. Both are likely better tournament plays, but if you want a consistent 25-30 fantasy points for a cheaper price, Robinson is your guy. As an active ball-handler for Houston, Robinson leads the team in assists and contributes in other categories to provide a high floor. Take a look at Robinson’s stats from Dec. 3 @ Oklahoma State - he scored just one bucket but still finished with 22.25 fantasy points on DK just because of how much he’s still involved on both ends of the floor.

Fabian White Jr. - HOU ($4,100 DK / $4,500 FD) - White is still working his way back from a foot injury, but if Houston’s last game was any indication - he may be back to a normal workload. In a four-point win over St. Louis on Sunday, White logged 31 minutes and played the majority of crunch-time late in the game to help secure the victory. He doesn’t shoot a ton, but provides enough rebounding and defensive stats to return 15-20 fantasy points and possibly 6x his salary if he continues to log 30+ minutes.

Example Lineup on DraftKings:

G: Sam Merrill, UTST ($8,400)

G: Nojel Eastern, PUR ($4,300)

G: Matt Mooney, TT ($6,200)

F: Doug Taylor, OHIO ($6,600)

F: Zion Williamson, DUKE ($10,500)

F: Fabian White Jr., HOU ($4,100)

U: Galen Robinson Jr., HOU ($6,500)

U: Sasha Stefanovic, PUR ($3,400)

 

Example Lineup on FanDuel:

G: RJ Barrett, DUKE ($8,900)

G: Matt Mooney, TT ($6,300)

G: Nojel Eastern, PUR ($5,400)

G: Galen Robinson Jr., HOU ($6,700)

F: Doug Taylor, OHIO ($7,300)

F: Fabian White Jr., HOU ($4,500)

F: Aaron Wheeler, PUR ($4,300)

U: Ryan Cline, PUR ($6,500)