Eight months after we had the NCAA Tournament ripped away from us due to the COVID shutdown, college basketball fans can finally rejoice! College hoops has returned with a full slate of games on Wednesday to tip off the 2020-21 CBB season. However, the virus is still affecting the sport - and likely will all winter and spring. Two games on this slate have already been canceled due to COVID (as of Tuesday morning) with Utah State/Wichita State and Oregon/Eastern Washington now off - so obviously do not roster anyone from those teams.
This season, Fantasy Alarm will try to provide DFS CBB playbooks for all the most relevant, bigger slates. Once full conference play comes in January, expect more daily playbooks with a regular schedule eventually forming. For now, enjoy the first playbook covering Wednesday’s DraftKings slate tipping at 6 pm ET and wrapping with an 11 pm ET game at the back end. FanDuel also has a truncated slate including a few of the same matchups, but this playbook will focus on the DK site due to more relevancy.
Highest Scoring Teams:
(by Implied Points & Spreads per KenPom)
- Kentucky -- 83 points (-26 vs. Morehead State)
- West Virginia -- 80 points (-12 vs. South Dakota St)
- North Carolina -- 79 points (-18 vs. Charleston)
- Texas -- 79 points (-23 vs. UT Rio Grande)
- Michigan State -- 78 points (-17 vs. Eastern Michigan)
- Georgia Tech -- 77 points (-6 vs. Georgia State)
- Villanova -- 76 points (-12 vs. Boston College)
Closest Spreads (per KenPom):
- San Diego State (-1) vs. UCLA -- 133 total
- Clemson (-4) vs. Mississippi State -- 138 total
- Georgia Tech (-6) vs. Georgia State -- 147 total
Top Guards
| Top Guards |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Collin Gillespie | VU | BC | 8700 | 29.19 | 7800 | 26.86 |
| Villanova returns the majority of last year’s national title-contending team and Gillespie will be headlining the squad this time around. The senior led the Wildcats in offensive usage rate, shots share and assist rate a season ago and he should claim even more of the ball-handling and scoring responsibilities now that Saddiq Bey is off to the NBA. He’s the veteran point guard of a ‘Nova team poised to be among the best in the country and Gillespie will surely be one of the best DFS guards all season. Plus, he should be locked into heavy minutes without much guard depth behind him - so the floor will be pretty high with the potential to dominate with stats in every category. |
| Caleb Love | UNC | COFC | 8300 | 0 | | |
| Caleb Love will continue the Tar Heels’ trend of highly touted freshman point guards - following in the shoes of Coby White and Cole Anthony. The five-star recruit was brought in to start right away and run the point for UNC. As was the case for White and Anthony the last two years, the point guard spot in UNC’s offense is very DFS-friendly and Love will certainly benefit from playing alongside two stud big men in Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot. It remains to be seen how much of a pure point-scoring role he has this season, but Love will likely be one of the best guards in DFS all year in this high-scoring, fast-paced UNC offense. |
| Brandon Boston Jr. | UK | MOR | 7200 | 0 | | |
| It’s a complete rehaul for Kentucky with all five starters from last year going pro and another impressive recruiting class (with some key transfers) replacing them. Headlining the newcomers is freshman B.J. Boston, the program’s first consensus top-five recruit since 2015 and likely a top 10 pick in next year’s NBA Draft. Boston is expected to be UK’s best player this season - as well as one of the top overall college players in the country. At 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds, Boston has the length, athleticism and shooting ability to dominate every game and it’ll start with the ‘Cats cupcake opener vs. Morehead State. When you consider how much cheaper Boston is compared to other studs on this slate, he’s a huge value with tons of potential to be the slate’s highest-scoring player. |
| Terrence Clarke | UK | MOR | 6900 | 0 | | |
| While Boston may be Kentucky’s top player this season, Clarke will basically be the 1B in this elite freshman duo that will anchor one of the top teams in the country. The bulk of UK’s scoring and assists should be split between Boston and Clarke - and the latter may end up being the better overall DFS play game-to-game as he racks up stats across all categories. Clarke was also a top 10 high school recruit and the second-best shooting guard behind Boston according to the rankings. Practice reports indicate that Kentucky might play more positionless basketball this season - at least in the backcourt and on the wings - with Clarke in a point-forward type role. That could make him a stud DFS option if he’s the main assist guy to go along with plenty of other offensive and defensive stats. |
Value Guards
| Value Guards |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Justin Moore | VU | BC | 6100 | 20.03 | 5700 | 18.01 |
| With Saddiq Bey off to the NBA, Justin Moore is expected to take on a much bigger offensive role for Villanova this season. It’ll be Moore and Collin Gillespie ($8700) forming one of the best backcourt duos in the country - and there’s no reason for the former to be so much cheaper on this slate. This is honestly the cheapest Moore could be all year as he possibly leads ‘Nova in scoring this season and should rack up plenty of stats in all categories as he plays big minutes in a starter-heavy rotation. Last year as a freshman, Moore shot 40% from three-point range and should be the team’s top perimeter scorer now that Bey is gone. He’s a fantastic value on this slate. |
| Kane Williams | GAST | GT | 6100 | 30.06 | | |
| Although Georgia State should lose to Georgia Tech on paper, this game could quietly be one of the highest-scoring matchups of the slate with tons of DFS value on both sides. Both teams tended to play fast last year and that’ll likely be the case this season. Williams is the top target on Georgia State’s side after the senior led the team in offensive usage rate, assist rate and minutes share last season while averaging a team-high 14.1 PPG. You can also look at Justin Roberts ($5100), Corey Allen ($4900) and Nelson Phillips ($3500) being solid values if you want to go even cheaper and still get exposure to this game. |
| Jaden Ivey | PUR | LIB | 4800 | 0 | | |
| Unfortunately Purdue is already dealing with some notable injuries that’ll open up some key value for us on this slate. With starting point guard Eric Hunter Jr. out six weeks with a knee injury, the Boilermakers will look towards both Isaiah Thompson ($5500) and Jaden Ivey to play big minutes in the backcourt. Thompson was the backup last season as a freshman and is a solid value now too with expanded playing time. However it’s Ivey who’s the best per-dollar option. The freshman has reportedly been running the point in practice since Hunter’s injury and he has the versatility to play both guard spots. We could easily see Ivey starting for Purdue in the opener with Hunter out and the offseason departures of Nojel Eastern and Jahaad Proctor opening up a ton of minutes in the rotation. Plus, freshman guard Ethan Morton will be limited in this game so that means even more playing time for Ivey. |
| Payton Willis | COFC | UNC | 4000 | 19.3 | | |
| At first glance, you might not consider rostering any College of Charleston players in a game where UNC is projected to win by double-digits. However, these Cougars are very underpriced and should be premium values on this slate. Brevin Galloway ($4500) and Payton Willis top the list of targets on this Charleston squad and it’s the latter who should smash his cheap price tag. After transferring from Minnesota this offseason, Willis is in line for a big role on his team as he forms a 1-2 punch with Galloway. Charleston needs to replace a ton of offensive production from the departed Grant Riller - and Willis was brought in to likely fill that role as a playmaking guard to complement Galloway. Not only will Charleston benefit from playing against a fast-paced Tar Heels squad, but the starters should be playing almost the whole whole game - and it’s a silver lining that Willis has legit experience playing competitive games in the Big Ten and SEC over his college career so far. This matchup vs. UNC will not be a daunting one for him. |
Other Guards to Consider:
- Michael Devoe - Georgia Tech ($8,000) - GPP
- Deivon Smith - Mississippi State ($6,400) - GPP
- Trey Pulliam - San Diego State ($5,500) - Cash
- Isaiah Thompson - Purdue ($5,400) - Cash
- Justin Roberts - Georgia State ($5,100) - Cash
- Al-Amir Dawes - Clemson ($4,900) - Cash
- Jordan McCabe - West Virginia ($5,100) - GPP
- Brevin Galloway - Charleston ($4,500) - Cash
Top Forwards
| Top Forwards |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Garrison Brooks | UNC | COFC | 9300 | 32.11 | | |
| The price tag is obviously hefty, but it’s probably warranted because Brooks should be a dominating force all season in UNC’s frontcourt - starting tonight against an undersized Charleston squad. The senior took a big leap last year in his development as his per-game averages vaulted to 16.8 PPG and 8.5 RPG - up from 7.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG from his sophomore year despite being a regular starter both seasons. He and Armando Bacot ($6900) will form one of the best frontcourts in the country and it’s Brooks who should be a nightly double-double threat with the regular upside to put up 40 or more DK points. At this price, he’s probably only a GPP option on this slate - but you can easily fit him in with so much value at our disposal. |
| Olivier Sarr | UK | MOR | 7800 | 29.3 | | |
| Despite playing on a poor Wake Forest team last season, Sarr emerged as one of the best big men in the country who dominated the paint as both a post scorer and rebounding machine. After an offseason transfer to Kentucky - with immediate eligibility granted - Sarr is now in line to be the Wildcats’ starting center on a team filled with highly-touted freshmen. The 7-footer surely won’t be UK’s leading scorer this season - with B.J. Boston and Terrence Clarke stealing headlines - but he should be a regular double-double with upside for more as he’s the most experienced and polished player in this Kentucky frontcourt. The price tag is a little steep considering we don’t know how Coach Cal’s rotation might shake out and how involved Sarr will be offensively with so much talent on the roster. Still, he’s worth consideration in GPP if you can fit him. |
| Matt Mitchell | SDSU | UCLA | 7300 | 23.48 | 6200 | 22.18 |
| With Malachi Flynn now gone, it’s Mitchell who should be San Diego State’s top playmaker this season. The Aztecs are replacing three starters from last year - so a ton of offensive responsibility will likely fall on Mitchell to be the top scoring option. The senior shot 39% from three-point range a season ago (41% during conference play) and his perimeter scoring will be even more important now that Flynn and his deep range are off to the NBA. As the wing in this offense, he’s expected to lead the team in usage and shots share with so much turnover among the starting rotation - and he’s a great value for someone who could eventually be in the 8-9k range once he posts some big performances. |
| Joey Hauser | MSU | EMU | 6600 | 0 | | |
| To be honest, it’s tough to get a good read on what this Michigan State rotation will look like with so much turnover from last season. Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman are gone, Joshua Langford returns from injury yet again and Joey Hauser can finally suit up after sitting out all of last season as a transfer. The Spartans have some key holdovers (Aaron Henry, Rocket Watts), but Hauser could end up playing a pivotal role from the power forward spot. Tom Izzo likes using his bigs as active passers and threats from three-point range - and Hauser should fill that frontcourt role that Kenny Goins and Xavier Tillman played the last two years. He’s definitely the best per-dollar play on this MSU squad over the more expensive guys. |
Value Forwards
| Value Forwards |
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Isaiah Jackson | UK | MOR | 5200 | 0 | | |
| With Keion Brooks likely out for Kentucky’s opening week, Isaiah Jackson is expected to start at power forward alongside Olivier Sarr in the frontcourt. The Brooks injury is a big one as Jackson is now locked into significantly more playing time - making him a solid value at this price tag. The freshman has reportedly been one of the practice standouts this preseason after being a top-30 high school recruit in the country. He’s an elite shot-blocker and defender who could easily outperform this price tag with expanded playing time in Brooks’ absence. If you’re not playing Sarr, this is a great cash game option to still get exposure to one of the highest-scoring teams on the slate. |
| Cody Riley | UCLA | SDSU | 4500 | 16.64 | 4900 | 15.29 |
| UCLA returns the majority of last year’s team that ended the regular season on a 7-2 run and would’ve made March Madness interesting had they sneaked in. Cody Riley played a key role in that late season run - mostly as a top option off the bench - as he averaged 12.4 PPG over those final nine games. Although Riley was demoted to the bench during Pac-12 play, his offensive usage rate and shots share were actually second on the team only to Chris Smith during conference action. He’s a value at this price tag with the upside to put up 20 or more DK points in any given game. With some more trustworthy sub-5k options on the slate, though, he’s more a GPP play for now until we see how the rotation and production shakes out for the Bruins. |
| Zach Edey | PUR | LIB | 3000 | 0 | | |
| You gotta love the min price special! Purdue will begin the season without three of last year’s regular starters and Edey is someone who could immediately benefit with expanded playing time in the frontcourt. Trevion Williams is the Boilermakers’ stud in the paint and Edey is expected to be his top backup at center. However, there’s a ton of optimism that the freshman will play more than a normal backup. At 7-foot-4 and 285 pounds, Edey is a massive presence around the rim and Purdue has experimented with playing both him and Williams together in two-big lineups. They did this last year with 7-foot-3 Matt Haarms and it made the team a force defensively. Reports say that Edey has been the team’s best rebounder in practice and he should see enough minutes in the opener to return enough value on this extremely cheap price tag. |
Other Forwards to Consider:
- Aamir Simms - Clemson ($9,000) - GPP
- Derek Culver - West Virginia ($7,700) - Cash
- Armando Bacot - North Carolina ($6,900) - GPP
- Cole Swider - Villanova ($5,300) - Cash
- Ty Groce - Eastern Michigan ($4,500) - GPP
Example Lineups
(Examples of what is possible from the Playbook, these are not meant for plug-and-play)
| DK Cash |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| G | Brandon Boston Jr. | UK | MOR | 0 | $7,200 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| G | Justin Moore | VU | BC | 20.03 | $6,100 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| G | Jaden Ivey | PUR | LIB | 0 | $4,800 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| F | Garrison Brooks | UNC | COFC | 32.11 | $9,300 |
| Pivot | Olivier Sarr | UK | MOR | 29.3 | $7,800 |
| F | Matt Mitchell | SDSU | UCLA | 23.48 | $7,300 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| F | Isaiah Jackson | UK | MOR | 0 | $5,200 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| Util | Payton Willis | COFC | UNC | 19.3 | $4,000 |
| Pivot | Brevin Galloway | COFC | UNC | 23 | $4,500 |
| Util | Kane Williams | GAST | GT | 30.06 | $6,100 |
| Pivot | Terrence Clarke | UK | MOR | 0 | $6,900 |
| | | | | Total | $50,000 |
| | | | Pivot Total | $49,800 |
| | | | | | |
| DK GPP |
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
| G | Collin Gillespie | VU | BC | 29.19 | $8,700 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| G | Caleb Love | UNC | COFC | 0 | $8,300 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| G | Terrence Clarke | UK | MOR | 0 | $6,900 |
| Pivot | Michael Devoe | GT | GAST | 27.89 | $8,000 |
| F | Joey Hauser | MSU | EMU | 0 | $6,600 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| F | Zach Edey | PUR | LIB | 0 | $3,000 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| F | Cody Riley | UCLA | SDSU | 16.64 | $4,500 |
| Pivot | | | | | |
| Util | Justin Roberts | GAST | GT | 26.37 | $5,100 |
| Pivot | Corey Allen | GAST | GT | 22.27 | $4,900 |
| Util | Armando Bacot | UNC | COFC | 24.67 | $6,900 |
| Pivot | Trey Pulliam | SDSU | UCLA | 9.48 | $5,500 |
| | | | | Total | $50,000 |
| | | | Pivot Total | $49,500 |
