THE SLATE

(w/ Implied Team & Game Totals via KenPom)

  • 7 pm ET -- Auburn (73) at Alabama (84) -- 157 total

  • 7 pm ET -- Xavier (73) at Georgetown (71) -- 144 total

  • 7 pm ET -- Illinois (71) at Michigan (78) -- 149 total

  • 7 pm ET -- TCU (61) at Texas Tech (74) -- 135 total **FD ONLY**

  • 8 pm ET -- Duke (73) at Georgia Tech (76) -- 149 total

  • 8 pm ET -- Indiana (69) at Michigan State (68) -- 137 total

  • 9 pm ET -- Kentucky (63) at Mississippi (64) -- 127 total

  • 9 pm ET -- Wisconsin (63) at Purdue (65) -- 128 total

  • 9 pm ET -- Marquette (69) at DePaul (66) -- 135 total **DK ONLY**

 

Top Guards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Franz WagnerMICHIL780030.63740028.92
Before we get into Wagner, it’s worth mentioning that if either Ayo Dosunmu or Sharife Cooper end up playing tonight then that guy would instantly become the top guard to target. As of last night, though, both appear out and Wagner should be popular in cash as a result. The Michigan wing has scored 20+ points with 32+ DK in three of the past four games as the Wolverines offense is relying on his playmaking down the stretch here. Not only is he getting it done scoring-wise, but Wagner will have enough rebounds, assists and defensive stats to provide a strong DFS floor. In this pace-boost spot, expect him to stuff the stat sheet once again and anchor your cash build.
Allen FlaniganAUBALA720027.04660024.19
If Sharife Cooper is out again, then Flanigan would be the top Auburn target on this slate as he continues in a high-usage role. In the past two games with Cooper out, Flanigan has taken over more point guard duties in the Tigers’ offense and that makes his DFS floor a lot safer for cash. On Saturday, he put up 38 DK with his 23 points scored and 10 rebounds/assists as he led an upset over Tennessee. He’s normally good for 25+ DK with Cooper in there - but the higher usage and shot volume certainly makes him more valuable. This matchup vs. Alabama is surely a high-scoring and fast-paced one where Flanigan will have tons of possessions to produce. Cooper was described as doubtful by coach Bruce Pearl yesterday - so expect Flanigan to be Auburn’s lead offensive option once again.
D'Mitrik TriceWISCPUR700026.55680024.50
As Wisconsin gears up for the postseason, the offense has started to feature Trice in the backcourt and Micah Potter in the paint. Trice has now become more trustworthy for DFS purposes after he struggled mightly earlier in the year. Over the last six games, the senior is averaging 31 DK and just went off for 29 points scored and 35 DK on Saturday. He’s a lot more involved offensively and his fantasy floor is thus safer for us to consider. At 7k on both sites, the potential for a 4x or 5x return is very plausible with how hot he’s running. The slow-paced game vs. Purdue is a slight worry - but that might not matter for Trice to be perfectly fine in cash.
Herbert JonesALAAUB690027.66640025.54
The highest total by far tonight is this Alabama-Auburn matchup, and the Crimson Tide core should be a target once again in a fast-paced environment. Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and John Petty are all good options, but Herbert Jones is the top target for Bama right now - and especially in this matchup. His usage and DFS floor continue to be strong in a point-forward role for the offense - and he should be busy in an up-and-down game if he stays out of foul trouble. Jones put up 44 DK with a stuffed stat sheet in the first meeting vs. Auburn - and he could easily do the same tonight as he usually strives in uptempo games.
Jose AlvaradoGTDUKE660032.27760030.04
With Duke and Georgia Tech both fighting for a Tournament bid, expect this game to be high-scoring with plenty of DFS production on both ends. For GT, the offense mostly revolves around both Moses Wright and Jose Alvarado - so we’re looking at the latter for guard purposes right now. Alvarado recently had 30+ DK in three straight games but is coming off a dud outing on Saturday when he did very little offensively while in foul trouble. Expect a bounceback effort here, though, as Duke’s defense still struggles to limit opposing scorers. Alvarado had 26 points and 45 DK in the first meeting - and he could easily break the slate again tonight.
        
Value Guards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Mike SmithMICHIL520020.36470018.42
Although Wagner, Dickinson and Livers are the top DFS targets from Michigan, the value continues to be strong with Smith remaining in the 5k price range. The point guard is averaging 20 DK over the last ten games as he provides a safe floor with assists, ancillary stats and just enough scoring role. He’s put up 20+ DK in three of the last five since the Wolverines returned from a COVID pause - and we should expect that type of production once again. The fast-paced matchup vs. Illinois should help him return value for cash.
Jamal JohnsonAUBALA490015.94430014.46
Assuming Sharife Cooper sits again (which seems likely), expect Johnson to be a popular value on this slate for cash. The junior has moved into the starting lineup the last two games with Cooper out and the new role gives him a lot more DFS value. He’s put up 20 and 27 DK in these past two starts with a notable increase in playing time, shot volume and usage. At sub 5k on both sites in a fast-paced environment vs. Alabama, he’s a very good cash bargain and should be chalky - especially on FD where he’s still underpriced. Don't overthink it if Cooper remains out.
Dwon OdomXAVGU480016.36470015.73
Xavier continues to shuffle its starting lineup around and Odom is the latest to benefit. The freshman has moved back amongst the starters for the last two games and that role change makes him a lot more valuable for DFS. He’s scored in double figures in both these starts and put up 21 and 29 DK with the increase in ancillary stats, shot volume and offensive usage. With another solid outing tonight, this may be the cheapeast we see Odom at for rest of season - so take advantage while you still can.
Da'Monte WilliamsILMICH480017.6430016.28
If Ayo Dosunmu sits again tonight, expect Da’Monte Williams to be a strong cash value. The senior has moved back into the starting lineup for the past two games with Dosunmu out and his DFS floor is a lot higher as a result. He’s put up 30 and 26 DK in these two starts with an increase in playing time, shot volume and ancillary stat production. In this tough matchup vs. Michigan, the Illini will need all the help it can get from secondary players - and Williams is one of those who’s benefiting from Dosunmu’s absence right now.
Jonathan DavisWISCPUR450017.07420016.11
Wisconsin’s value plays continue to change on a nightly basis - and Davis is the latest to emerge from the bargain bin. The freshman is the Badgers’ top bench option right now and he’s usually playing starter-level minutes as one of their top offensive weapons. He’s averaging 18 DK over the last ten games and has put up 18, 23 and 17 DK over the last three outings, respectively, while logging about 30 minutes. Though he doesn’t start, Davis is a lot more important to Wisconsin than many others on the roster - and he’s usually the third offensive option behind Trice and Potter. At sub 5k, the potential for 5x return is very much real and would be a welcome sight on this slate.

Other Guards to Consider

  • Paul Scruggs - Xavier ($8,700 DK / $7,700 FD)

  • Charlie Moore - DePaul ($7,100 DK Only)

  • DJ Steward - Duke ($6,500 DK / $5,900 FD)

  • Davion Mintz - Kentucky ($6,400 DK / $4,900 FD)

  • John Petty Jr. - Alabama ($5,800 DK / $6,200 FD)

  • Devan Cambridge - Auburn ($5,500 DK / $4,400 FD)

  • Eli Brooks - Michigan ($5,300 DK / $4,900 FD)

  • Brad Davison - Wisconsin ($4,300 DK / $4,700 FD)

  • Adam Miller - Illinois ($4,200 DK / $4,100 FD)

 

Top Forwards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Matthew HurtDUKEGT920032.8800030.77
In this high-scoring matchup between two teams fighting for Tournament berths, expect Duke’s offense to continue to run through Matthew Hurt’s versatile game. The Blue Devils are fully leaning on his scoring in recent games and especially since Jalen Johnson left the team. Hurt just went off for 37 points and 51 DK on Saturday and put up 31 or more DK in the four games prior. We should expect him to get a ton of usage and shot volume in this faster-paced game as it’ll likely be Hurt and GT’s Moses Wright going back-and-forth. If you can fit him into cash, he’s a safe bet right now.
Moses WrightGTDUKE900037.32870035.61
We mentioned above how Georgia Tech is fighting for a Tournament bid - and it’s fully riding Moses Wright right now as he regularly dominates the paint. The senior big man is averaging 41 DK and a double-double over the last ten games and he just went OFF for 61 DK last time out with his 31 points and 16 boards. Wright is seeing very high usage and shot volume in the GT offense and we should not expect that to slow down tonight. Duke has trouble defending quality bigs and Wright had no problem going for 48 DK and a stat-stuffing double-double in the first meeting. Expect something similar here and his expensive price tags are certainly appropriate.
Zach FreemantleXAVGU890033.94820031.44
With Xavier fighting for a potential Tournament bid, the offense is leaning very heavily on Freemantle’s post skills lately. The sophomore big man is averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds and 42 DK over the last five games and is currently one of the more dominant DFS forwards in the country. The expensive price tags may scare some off - but he’s been worth it on recent slates. The matchup vs. Georgetown isn’t ideal, but Freemantle seems matchup-proof right now and should be strongly considered for GPP’s with 50 DFS point upside. It's been fade at your own risk with this guy and he could easily out-produce every other stud on this slate.
Trayce Jackson-DavisIUMSU840037.25850035.04
You know the drill by now. If Indiana is on the slate, Jackson-Davis should be strongly considered for all formats. His DFS ceiling is in the 40-50 point range as the Hoosier offense runs through his elite post scoring ability. He’s coming off a down outing vs. Michigan on Saturday - but we can basically throw that out because everyone struggles in that matchup. In the four previous games, Jackson-Davis averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and 42 DK as he’s dominating offensively. One of those outings came against Michigan State (tonight’s opponent) when he went for 34 points and 51 DK - taking full advantage of a favorable matchup. Expect some big numbers once again as MSU struggles to limit opposing bigs.
Isaiah LiversMICHIL730029.14700026.81
If Michigan is on the slate - the big three of Wagner, Dickinson and Livers are always in play. We detailed Wagner’s value above and Dickinson just is a bit too expensive right now with a tough individual matchup vs. Illinois center Kofi Cockburn here. As for Livers, he continues to post strong DFS performances with a solid floor of ancillary stats and the offensive upside to go for 35+ DK - like he did on Saturday. His three-point shooting is what we like and he’s been hot lately - draining 8-for-12 from deep over the last two games. If the Wolverines want to avoid the upset, expect Livers to be heavily involved from the perimeter alongside Wagner as Dickinson deals with Cockburn down low.
 
Value Forwards
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Mark WilliamsDUKEGT560013.54500013.03
Williams is one of the Blue Devils who’s taking full advantage of his opportunity fololwing Jalen Johnson’s departure. In the last four games since Johnson left, Williams has 29, 23, 37 and 38 DK in four of those outings with a starting role locked down and a big increase in role on both ends. He was dominant against Syracuse last week when he had an 18-point double-double and broke the DFS slate. Williams should be safe for 20+ DK once again with his newfound role as the secondary post man to complement Matthew Hurt in the frontcourt. He’s the ideal GPP value on this slate with a high ceiling right now.
Jacob GrandisonILMICH450011.76360010.87
The Ayo Dosunmu injury is benefiting a number of Illinois’ secondary players - and Grandison is another who’s now a legit DFS value with a bigger role. The junior wing has put up 26 and 20 DK in the last two games with Dosunmu out as he’s seen an uptick in playing time, usage rate and ancillary stats from the wing position. His defense and size will be needed tonight if the Illini wish to pull out the upset over Michigan - so expect Grandison to get a ton of run if the situation remains unchanged. At sub 5k on DK he’s a strong cash option - and he’s still way underpriced on FD at sub 4k.
Justin LewisMARQDPU390018.72  
On the DK slate, we have the Marquette-DePaul game added in - and Lewis may end up being popular as a strong value. The freshman just returned from a multi-game absence on Saturday and he immediately scored 14 points and 20 DK in his first game back. Before the injury, Lewis was a big part of the Marquette offense as he leads the team in shot volume during conference play despite coming off the bench. He’s their super-sub and is basically locked into consistent offensive usage when he’s out there - and looks to be back to his 20+ DK value. That makes him way too cheap at sub 4k if he’s doing that.
Marcus Santos-SilvaTTUTCU  540019.90
On the FD slate, we get the Texas Tech game to build lineups from - and there’s some value on Santos-Silva right now. With Tech trying to improve its Tournament seeding and the season wrapping up, Santos-Silva is playing a much larger role than he was for most of the year. On a roster without much size, the 6-foot-7 forward is ever more important as he fights for rebounds on both ends and has the defensive versatility to switch onto smaller guards. He’s put up 23+ FD points in three straight games and is averaging 10 points and 8.6 rebounds over this span. His salary remains unchanged from previous slates and is still a bargain if we’re getting that type of production.
Jerome HunterIUMSU380011.35410010.25
Indiana will likely be without Armaan Franklin tonight as he deals with a foot injury. In his absence, expect Jerome Hunter to see more playing time and probably a spot in the starting rotation. With Franklin out on Saturday, Hunter got the start and put up 12 DK with the increased role. That’s by no means a slate-breaking performance - but it did come in a tough matchup vs. Michigan. Hunter and Indiana will have things easier tonight vs. a soft Michigan State defense - and this could be a massive DFS value in the 4k range.

Other Forwards to Consider

  • Aaron Henry - Michigan State ($8,100 DK / $8,100 FD)

  • Trevion Williams - Purdue ($8,000 DK / $7,900 FD)

  • Kofi Cockburn - Illinois ($7,700 DK / $7,800 FD)

  • JT Thor - Auburn ($6,300 DK / $4,800 FD)

  • Wendell Moore Jr. - Duke ($5,900 DK / $5,000 FD)

  • Gabe Brown - Michigan State ($5,300 DK / $4,400 FD)

  • Khalid Moore - Georgia Tech ($4,700 DK / $4,100 FD)

  • Darious Hall - DePaul ($4,200 DK Only)

Example Lineups

The Example Lineups are meant to show lineup construction based on players mentioned in the Playbook. They are not meant to be plugged and played.

 

DK Cash FD Cash
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
GFranz WagnerMICHIL30.63$7,800 GAllen FlaniganAUBALA24.18$6,600
Pivot     $7,800Pivot     
GJamal JohnsonAUBALA15.94$4,900 GFranz WagnerMICHILL28.91$7,400
Pivot     $4,900Pivot     
GDa'Monte WilliamsILMICH17.6$4,800 GDa'Monte WilliamsILLMICH16.27$4,300
PivotMike SmithMICHIL20.36$5,200$5,200PivotMike SmithMICHILL18.42$4,700
FMoses WrightGTDUKE37.32$9,000 GJamal JohnsonAUBALA14.45$4,300
PivotTrayce Jackson-DavisIUMSU37.25$8,400$8,400Pivot     
FJacob GrandisonILMICH11.8$4,500 FMoses WrightGTDUKE35.6$8,700
Pivot     $4,500PivotMatthew HurtDUKEGT30.77$8,000
FAllen FlaniganAUBALA27$7,200 FTrayce Jackson-DavisINDMSU35.03$8,500
Pivot     $7,200Pivot     
UtilDwon OdomXAVGU16.36$4,800 FJacob GrandisonILLMICH10.87$3,600
Pivot     $4,800Pivot     
UtilHerbert JonesALAAUB27.66$6,900 UtilHerbert JonesALAAUB25.54$6,400
PivotD'Mitrik TriceWISCPUR26.55$7,000$7,000PivotD'Mitrik TriceWISPURD24.49$6,800
    Total$49,900     Total$49,800
   Pivot Total$49,800    Pivot Total$49,900
             
DK GPP FD GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
GJose AlvaradoGTDUKE32.27$6,600 GJose AlvaradoGTDUKE30.03$7,600
Pivot     $6,600Pivot     
GJohn Petty Jr.ALAAUB25.88$5,800 GPaul ScruggsXAVGTWN30.25$7,700
PivotDavion MintzUKMISS21.27$6,400$6,400Pivot     
GDevan CambridgeAUBALA17.78$5,500 GJonathan DavisWISPURD16.11$4,200
Pivot     $5,500Pivot     
FMatthew HurtDUKEGT32.8$9,200 GDavion MintzUKMISS19.13$4,900
PivotKofi CockburnILMICH33.36$7,700$7,700PivotAdam MillerILLMICH13.02$4,100
FZach FreemantleXAVGU33.94$8,900 FZach FreemantleXAVGTWN31.43$8,200
Pivot     $8,900PivotAaron HenryMSUIND29.53$8,100
FJerome HunterIUMSU11.35$3,800 FIsaiah LiversMICHILL26.81$7,000
Pivot     $3,800PivotKofi CockburnILLMICH31.03$7,800
UtilJustin LewisMARQDPU18.72$3,900 FMark WilliamsDUKEGT13.03$5,000
Pivot     $3,900Pivot     
UtilJT ThorAUBALA20.66$6,300 UtilMarcus Santos-SilvaTTUTCU19.9$5,400
PivotCharlie MooreDPUMARQ26.81$7,100$7,100Pivot     
    Total$50,000     Total$50,000
   Pivot Total$49,900    Pivot Total$49,900