Another Saturday FILLED with conference college basketball action and we’ve got the DFS studs and value plays to fill out your lineups! The weekend slates are always more exciting with tons of great matchups going on simultaneously. It makes following your lineups more fun - but cashing is more difficult because of the larger pool of players and volatility across the board.
Let’s try to narrow that pool down, though, as you’ll notice there are some games you can likely ignore completely today. At the same time, there are clearly some matchups we want to target with higher scoring and faster paces.
This playbook focuses on the main slates tipping at 12 pm ET for DraftKings and FanDuel. DK has 14-game slate while FD has a 15-gamer with three games differing between the two sites.
NOTE: Missouri-South Carolina has been POSTPONED already. This game appears on both sites’ main slates. Hopefully it goes without saying - don’t roster any players from this game.
As always, with a particular focus on KenPom’s advanced metrics and overall recent game trends, we’ll point out the teams to target as a whole before breaking down the guards and forwards to prioritize in your DFS lineups today. The point spreads and over/under’s below are based on KenPom’s predictions for that matchup.
If you have any questions or comments on the day’s slate or anything college basketball-related, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @dan_servodidio or in the Fantasy Alarm CBB chat room.
Games To Target
Providence @ Georgetown - 12 pm ET (GTWN -2 / 150 Implied Total)
Mississippi @ Mississippi State - 1 pm ET (MISS ST -6 / 150 Implied Total)
TCU @ Oklahoma - 2 pm ET (OU -5 / 145 Implied Total)
Seton Hall @ Marquette - 2 pm ET (MARQ -6 / 150 Implied Total)
Games to Fade
Virginia @ Clemson - 12 pm ET (UVA -7 / 123 Implied Total)
Missouri @ South Carolina - 1 pm ET (POSTPONED)
Texas Tech @ Texas - 2 pm ET (TTU -1 / 121 Implied Total)
Guards
Markus Howard - MARQ ($10,100 DK / $8,800 FD) & Myles Powell - SHU ($9,400 DK / $8,200 FD) - Howard and Powell are both offensive studs for their respective teams and both deserve consideration today despite the high price tags. This Big East battle features one of the slate’s highest implied totals as both squads play at fast tempos - plus Howard and Powell each see the lion’s share of usage and shot volume for their teams. This game could easily turn into a shooting spree with Howard and Powell trading punches down to the wire. Howard has scored less than 34 DK points just once over the past ten games - including an explosion of 53 points and 67 DK points last time out vs. Creighton. On the other side, Powell has a slightly lower DFS floor but has the potential to put up 40 DK points when he’s hitting from deep.
Christian James - OU ($8,300 DK / $7,800 FD) - We’ve touted James before in this space - and he has not disappointed. The senior has been one of the Big 12’s best players this season as Oklahoma’s top scoring option and, surprisingly, the team’s best rebounder recently. James has six double-doubles in the past eight games and should do so again today with how fast this game should be. Oklahoma and TCU both play at top-100 paces in the country and the matchup should be back-and-forth with tons of shots on both ends. James racks up his rebounds because he doesn’t play a ton of on-ball defense on outside shooters and hangs around the defensive basket to scoop up missed shots. Lock him in for 30-40 DK points again today.
Lindell Wigginton - ISU ($6,300 DK / $6,500 FD) - We’re still waiting for Wigginton to re-enter Iowa State’s starting lineup - and smash value - after starting all last season and this year’s opener for the Cyclones before injuring his foot. After missing ten games, the sophomore is averaging 23.2 DK points off the bench in his four games back. Iowa State could continue to use him in a reserve role for now, but the offensive production is there to warrant some exposure in your lineups. Wigginton actually leads the team in usage and is second in shots share when he’s on the floor. Lock him in if he’s starting today.
Christen Cunningham - LOU ($4,900 DK / $6,400 FD) - We’ve talked before about price discrepancy between players available on both DK and FD - and Cunningham is the prime example of that today. The senior point guard is a great source of value on DK as his FD price is likely the correct one as he’s been extremely productive lately. Over the past four games, Cunningham has posted 28.75, 31, 24.5 and 35 DK points, respectively. He’s shooting 66.7% from the field while averaging 18 ppg over that span. North Carolina has the size and length (headlined by Luke Maye) to limit Louisville’s talented forwards - meaning Cunningham will need to be playmaker if the Cardinals want to pull off the road upset.
Mac McClung - GTWN ($4,200 DK / $5,500 FD) & Greg Malinowski ($5,300 DK / $5,200 FD) - This is one of the key injury situations to monitor today. McClung has been sidelined the last four games with a sprained ankle but remains a game-time decision for Georgetown’s 12 pm ET tip. If McClung does play, you can safely lock him into your lineups with this cheap price tag - especially on DraftKings. The freshman was a regular starter getting a ton of shot volume before his injury and broke out for 38 points in his last game before Christmas. If he does end up sitting again, Malinowski makes for another attractive play. The senior slotted into McClung’s spot in the starting lineup over the past four games and put up 32, 44.75, 31.25 and 28 DK points in each of those outings. He saw the majority of the shots McClung would’ve gotten and launched seven three-pointers per game.
RJ Nembhard - TCU ($3,900 DK / $4,500 FD) - If Jaylen Fisher (knee) is out for a third straight game, Nembhard emerges as one of the slate’s top value plays. In the last two games where Fisher sat, the freshman Nembhard moved into the starting lineup, scored double-digits and put up 20+ DK points in both outings. In what will be a high-scoring and fast-paced road matchup vs. Oklahoma, Nembhard’s energy and three-point shooting should keep him at 25-30 minutes and potential to smash his cheap price tag. Fisher will be game-time decision for this 2 pm ET tip, so be sure you can pivot off Nembhard if he plays.
Other Guards to Consider:
Chris Lykes - MIA ($7,100 FD Only)
Trey McGowens - PITT ($6,800 DK / $7,300 FD)
Braxton Beverly - NCST ($4,800 DK / $5,000 FD)
Maliek White - PROV ($4,600 DK / $5,600 FD)
David Nichols - FSU ($4,100 DK / $4,500 FD)
Forwards
Zion Williamson - DUKE ($10,800 DK / $9,300 FD) - If his last game is any indication, we have to consider Zion whenever Duke is on the slate. The frontrunner for the #1 pick in the NBA Draft put up 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks against Wake Forest on Tuesday - giving him a new ceiling of 61 DK points. Although his Saturday opponent (Florida State) boasts two tall centers, Williamson should still put up his regular numbers because this game should be an up-and-down one between two fast-paced teams. And his regular numbers give him a ridiculously high floor. Over the last six games, Zion has five double-doubles and scored less than 40 DK points just once - and even that was a 17 & 13 effort good for 37 fantasy points. The issue with rostering Williamson is the expensive price tag on such a large slate. Yet, the forward position is a little weak today and there are some value guards that make it possible in both cash and GPP lineups.
Jessie Govan - GTWN ($9,600 DK / $8,500 FD) - If you’re not paying up for Williamson, Govan is a solid pivot for cash and GPP contests. This Providence-Georgetown game should be a fast-paced one - providing tons of rebounding opportunity for the 6’10” senior. Providence does not have the talent down low to contend with Govan. Since the beginning of Big East play, Govan has become a force for Georgetown offensively. He’s averaging 23 points, eight rebounds, three blocks+steals and 42 DK points per game over that three-game span. Expect more of the same today as an anchor for your lineups.
Jack White - DUKE ($6,400 DK / $6,300 FD) - White continues to be an affordable way to get exposure to Duke’s potent offense. The junior has become a consistent DFS producer as the fourth option alongside Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Tre Jones. In his last game vs. Wake Forest, White actually failed to score a single point but still put up 22 DK points thanks to eight rebounds, five blocks and two assists. In the four previous games, though, he averaged 9.8 points and 30.3 DK points in his 25-30 minutes. He’s usually the first guy off the bench for Coach K’s squad and doesn’t see his minutes or usage decrease in blowouts - the way games normally go for Duke.
Wyatt Walker - NCST ($4,600 DK / $5,300 FD) - North Carolina State’s rotations are tough to predict this season, but Walker is a regular starter for a team projected to score 82 points today. He’s also a game removed from a three-game stretch where he averaged 24.3 DK points. Walker does get a favorable matchup today vs. a Pittsburgh team that’s poor on the defensive boards, tends to get blocked a lot and does not claim much talent at the forward position. Walker doesn’t get many shots or score a ton, but he offers enough production across all state categories to potentially 5x this salary once again.
Other Forwards to Consider:
Kaleb Wesson - OSU ($7,800 DK Only)
Derek Culver - WVU ($6,500 DK / $6,800 FD)
Myles Johnson - RUT ($4,700 FD Only)
Jairus Hamilton - BC ($4,100 DK / $4,100 FD)
Example Lineup on DraftKings:
G: Christen Cunningham, LOU - $4,900
G: Christian James, OU - $8,300
G: Greg Malinowski, GTWN - $5,300
F: Jessie Govan, GTWN - $9,600
F: Wyatt Walker, NCST - $4,600
F: Jack White, DUKE - $6,400
U: Maliek White, PROV - $4,600
U: Lindell Wigginton, ISU - $6,300
Example Lineup on FanDuel:
G: RJ Nembhard, TCU - $4,500
G: Myles Powell, SHU - $8,200
G: Greg Malinowski, GTWN - $5,200
G: Maliek White, PROV - $5,600
F: Zion Williamson, DUKE - $9,300
F: Wyatt Walker, NCST - $5,300
F: Myles Johnson, RUT - $4,700
U: Chris Lykes, MIA - $7,100