College basketball season is finally upon us, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for DFS grinders. Examining the slate for Jan. 26, a number of core plays stand out. In this piece I’ll be locating top plays from the college basketball slate and determining the top CBB DFS picks for your DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
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CBB DFS Picks: DraftKings + FanDuel Core Plays | Jan. 23
Studs Tier
Justin Champagnie ($9,500) — Since returning from injury Champagnie has play at least 34 minutes in Pittsburgh’s last three games. Champagnie leads the team with a 20% shot rate and 24% rebound rate despite missing multiple games. He has scored at least 17 points and recorded eight rebounds in each game since his return. He also has a double-double in two of the three games, contributing to the largest ceiling on the slate. Champagnie faces a North Carolina defense that ranks 92nd in defensive efficiency as a 2-point underdog in an up-tempo game.
Sharife Cooper ($9,000) — Since receiving clearance from the NCAA, Cooper has been a top-five basketball player in the country. Cooper averaged well over 30 minutes per game until Saturday’s blowout. He leads the tram with an absurd 30.7% usage rate on the back of a 57% assist rate and 21.5% shot rate in his last three games. Auburn enters this contest with the second-highest implied team total on the slate against a Missouri team that also plays with an above-average pace.
Herbert Jones ($8,000) — For those looking at studs below the $9,000 range, Jones offers a potential consolation prize. Jones and the Crimson Tide pace the slate with a 77.75 team total against Kentucky as 8.5-point favorites. Easily averaging over 30 minutes per game, Jones handles a solid 15.7% usage rate. Kentucky plays decent defense, but Alabama ranks as the 16th-fastest team in basketball. With elevated opportunities, Jones deserves consideration as a contrarian stud.
Mid-Priced Tier
Hasahn French ($6,600) — With so many solid expensive players and little value, the mid-range tier projects to carry ownership. A potential pivot off stud Jordan Goodwin ($9,300), French carries a little more volatility due to foul issues. However, when able to stay on the floor, French typically eclipses 30 minutes. In Saint Louis’ last three games, French has a 12.6% shot rate and a 21.1% rebounding rate. While he is less involved that Goodwin, French provides a potential pivot on a Saint Louis team favored by 9.5 points over Dayton.
Jaden Shackelford ($6,100) — Another target on the highest implied team of the slate, Shackelford offers a consistent target on the Crimson Tide. Primarily known for his shooting, Shackelford has a 17% shot rate in Alabama’s offense. He plays 25-28 minutes per game, and Shackelford also offers peripheral upside with a 10% rebounding rate and a 17% assist rate. Again, the elite game environment pushes Alabama up in projections and Shackelford offers salary relief.
Keion Brooks ($6,300) — On the other side of that Alabama game, Kentucky’s entire starting five looks underpriced. While Olivier Sarr ($5,500) also looks intriguing, Brooks plays the more consistent role. Brooks has played at least 28 minutes in two of his last three games. He also entered the starting lineup last time out, recording 15 points and nine rebounds. Alabama already lost Jordan Bruner and could miss James Rojas, making the Crimson Tide thin on the interior.
Value Tier
Keon Johnson ($5,100) — Without much value on the slate, Johnson looks like a strong target. Jaden Springer is questionable for this game, but Johnson started each of Tennessee’s last two contests. This game projects to be slow and low-scoring, but Tennessee is still a 10.5-point favorite. Johnson also draws the best matchup on the outside against a Mississippi State defense than ranks 256th in 3-point defense. Despite a poor game environment, Johnson looks like a strong play in the value tier.
Bubba Parham ($4,500) — Another player helping provide salary relief, Parham faces a struggling Duke team that ranks 309th in perimeter defense. While Parham provides the worst usage rate among Georgia Tech starters, He has also played 39 and 40 minutes in back-to-back games. Parham is also rebounding at a 14.5% rate and looks like a worthwhile salary-saving option here.
Alex Reese ($4,200) — Mentioned above, the Crimson Tide may play this game without James Rojas. Alabama also missed Rojas last game, and Reese played 28 minutes. Reese scores 11 points and secured four boards for Alabama in that spot. Reese won’t be Alabama’s most involved player, but a cheap price and an elite game environment make him an elite punt play on DraftKings in this spot.
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