College basketball season is finally upon us, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for CBB DFS grinders. Examining the slate for Feb. 24, a number of core plays stand out. In this piece I’ll be locating top plays from each college basketball matchup and determining the top CBB DFS picks for your DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
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Studs Tier
Jay Huff ($8,100) — Virginia ranks in the bottom half of implied team totals on the Wednesday DFS slate as an 11.5-point favorite over North Carolina State. However, Virginia runs such a tight rotational that studs Huff and Sam Hauser ($7,900) must be considered. Huff has a 15.2% usage rate for Virginia and has played at least 32 minutes in three straight games for this team. Of late, Huff has been on an absolute tear, accounting for 21.1% of the shots and 30.2% of the rebounds. North Carolina State ranks 251 in interior defense this season, creating an advantageous matchup for Virginia big men. Ultimately both Huff and Hauser are solid plays tonight.
David Duke ($8,000) — One of the slate’s top buy-low studs, Duke brings an affordable $8,000 price tag on DraftKings. Xavier has a 1.5-point advantage in betting markets with the game totaled at 142 points. Duke has a 20.1% usage rate this season and plays nearly every minute. In Providence’s last three games, Duke accounts for 25.2% of the shots, 21.6% of the rebounds and 24.2% of the team’s assists. While Duke scored just 17.25 DraftKings points in Providence’s last game, he has legitimate 50-point upside.
Moses Moody ($7,100) — Playing in the best game environment on the slate, Arkansas is a 1-point favorite over Alabama in a game totaled at 155.5 points. With the top overall implied team total, Arkansas’ entire starting five deserves consideration. At a mid-season slump, Moody is back to playing 34 and 37 minutes in each of Arkansas’ last two games. Moody has a 16.4% usage rate, 16% shot rate and 17.4% rebound rate in Arkansas’ last three games. Moody provides similar rates to Justin Smith ($7,700) but offers a $600 discount.
Mid-Priced Tier
Herb Jones ($6,900) — On the other side of the Arkansas game, Alabama has the second-highest implied team total on the slate as a 1-point underdog. Prior to getting into foul trouble last game, Jones played 29 minutes in back-to-back games for Alabama. Looking healthier of late, Jones should continue to work his way back to early-season form. While he accounts for just 15.1% of the usage, Jones has a 13% shot rate, 14.2% rebound rate and 20.9% assist rate on the year for Alabama. While Jones looks like a sharp mid-priced option, John Petty ($6,800) and Jaden Shackelford ($7,600) also deserve consideration.
D.J. Stewart ($6,600) — Typically playing slow basketball, Mississippi State draws a pace-up spot against South Carolina. Mississippi State is a 5.5-point favorite in a game totaled at 145.5 points. On top of playing fast, South Carolina also ranks 242 in defensive efficiency, setting up the Bulldogs for an elite matchup. Playing at least 33 minutes in three straight games, Stewart looks poised to take advantage of this matchup. He has an 18.2% usage rate and accounts for a 25% shot rate, 8.3% rebound rate and 20.8% assist rate. Iverson Molinar ($6,500) also looks like a strong play. He has an 18.2% usage rate for this team as well.
Garrison Brooks ($6,300) — Top four in implied team total on this slate, North Carolina sits as a, 8.5-point favorite over Marquette in a game totaled at 144 points. North Carolina won each of their last two games by double-digit points, leading to an expanded rotation. Averaging 28.8 minutes this season, Brooks is the most consistent player on the Tarheels. Brooks has a 14.4% shot rate and 16.8% rebound rate this season. Marquette ranks 14th in interior defense, but North Carolina’s strength is also post play. Cheaper than teammate Day’Ron Sharpe ($7,300), Brooks is the preferred play for this North Carolina team.
Jalen Tate ($6,200) — A cheaper attachment to the Arkansas offense, Tate enters this slate as a potential buy-low. Tate has played at least 31 minutes in each of Arkansas’ last three games and accounts for a 14.1% usage rate on the year. Tate has taken 15.5% of the team’s shots, 11.2% of the rebounds, and 21.4% of the assists in their last three games. Alabama plays strong defense, but both teams play with an above average pace. This should lead to additional opportunities for Tate and the Arkansas offense.
Value Tier
Jaylin Williams ($4,400) — A potential value play worth considering on Arkansas, Williams has played at least 23 minutes in three straight games for the Razorbacks. Despite coming off the bench, Williams accounts for 19.4% of the team’s rebounds in their last three games. Starter Connor Vanover ($5,400) continues to see his minutes decline, failing to reach 20 in any of Arkansas’ last three games. With Williams providing a spark off the bench, he should play starter minutes again for Arkansas.
Jason Carter ($4,300) — On the other side of the Providence game, Xavier has a 71.75-point implied team total in this spot. Interestingly, Xavier narrowed its rotation to five players in their last game. Behind studs Zach Freemantle ($9,000), Paul Scruggs ($8,300) and Nate Johnson ($6,400), both Carter and Colby Jones ($5,900) played at least 29 minutes. Starting for Xavier, Carter has accounted for 11% of the shots and 11% of the rebounds in their last three games. Providence ranks 199th in interior defense, setting up a solid matchup for Carter in this spot as well. Continuing to start, Carter is a strong value play tonight.
Derek Fountain ($4,100) — Changing their rotation of late, Fountain entered the starting lineup in each of Mississippi State’s last two games. Dealing with foul trouble in his first start, Fountain bounced back to play 31 minutes in his second start. Fountain has an 11.4% usage rate, 12% shot rate, 14.8% rebound rate and 10.6% assist rate in Mississippi State’s last three games. With South Carolina ranking 254th in interior defense, Fountain draws a solid matchup for a value play.
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