College basketball season is in full swing, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for CBB DFS grinders. Examining the slate for Feb. 17, 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.
CBB DFS Picks: DraftKings + FanDuel Core Plays | Feb. 17
Studs Tier
Trayce Jackson-Davis ($8,500) — With affordable options littered across the slate, jamming a few studs is feasible. Despite coming in as the third-most expensive player on the slate, Jackson-Davis actually has the highest projection. Indiana is a 4.5-point favorite at home over Minnesota in a game totaled at 137.5 points. Minnesota plays fast, creating an uptempo environment for Indiana. Jackson-Davis has played at least 33 minutes in three straight games for Indiana while recording a 21% shot rate, 33.7% rebound rate and 8.9% assist rate. Minnesota ranks 147th in defensive efficiency, creating a solid game environment to chase Jackson-Davis’ elite ceiling.
Carlik Jones ($8,200) — Entering the slate with the fourth-highest implied team total, Louisville is a 4-point favorite over Syracuse in a game totaled at 141 points. Louisville plays with a below-average pace, but most of their usage flows through David Johnson ($7,800) and Jones. Jones has played at least 37 minutes in three straight games and leads the team with a 21.5% usage rate. Jones has an elite 25.7% shot rate and 50% assist rate in Louisville’s last three games. Johnson isn’t far behind with a 22.9% shot rate, 17.1% rebound rate and 15.6% assist rate in Louisville’s last three. While Jones looks like the slightly safer option, both Louisville studs deserve consideration on DraftKings today.
Ian DuBose ($7,600) — Returning from injury, DuBose has now played 28 and 32 minutes in two games for Wake Forest. Today Wake Forest is a 6.5-point underdog to Duke in a game totaled at 145.5 points. While DuBose continues to emerge in the offense, he already has an elite 21.3% usage rate. DuBose scored 17 and 18 points in his first two games while contributing with elite peripherals. Duke ranks 221st in defensive efficiency and just lost Jalen Johnson to an opt-out. With DuBose’s role only expected to grow, taking a shot on the emerging stud makes sense here.
Matthew Hurt ($7,400) — Johnson opting out removes a 17.9% usage rate and 21.4 minutes per game at the forward position. As Duke’s best player in Johnson’s early-season absence, Hurt looks like a primary beneficiary. While Mike Krzyzewski continues to mess with Duke’s rotation, and Hurt played 30-plus minutes in most of Johnson’s absences earlier this year. Hurt has an 18% usage rate, a 20.2% shot rate, 18.1% rebound rate and 8.5% assist rate. Wake Forest ranks 203rd in defensive efficiency, creating a solid game environment for Duke in this spot.
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Brandon Boston Jr. ($6,200) — As a 3.5-point road favorite over Vanderbilt in a game totaled at 140.5 points, Kentucky ranks top five in implied team total on this slate. Vanderbilt is 245th in defensive efficiency, creating a tantalizing matchup for Kentucky players. However, the Wildcats continue to mix up their rotation on a daily basis. The most consistent of the bunch, Boston has a team-leading 17.8% usage rate. He has now played at least 30 minutes in back-to-back games and accounts for a 20.4% shot rate this season. Also active in the periphery, Boston looks like the safest member of Kentucky’s rotation. For what it’s worth, Keion Brooks Jr, ($6,900) accounts for 20.6% of Kentucky’s shots and 22.1% of the rebounds in their last three games. Coming off the bench and playing a consistent role, he could be another mid-priced option to target.
Buddy Boeheim ($5,800) — On the other side of the Louisville game, Syracuse always is a consideration with their tight rotation. Alan Griffin ($8,300), Quincy Guerrier ($7,7000), Marek Dolezaj ($6,400), Joseph Girard III ($6,000) and Boeheim all average over 30 minutes per game. Boeheim is a buy-low candidate with his team-leading 19.4% usage rate. Boeheim hasn’t eclipsed 30 DraftKings points in six straight games. However, he still has a 20.1% shot rate and 19.4% assist rate in Syracuse’s last four games. Playing nearly every minute, Boeheim also provides a solid floor for low-risk contests.
Mark Williams ($5,200) — For those looking at cheaper attachments to Duke’s 76-point implied team total (third highest), Williams provides a potential option. Williams has now started seven games for Duke this season, including each of their last three. In that span, his minutes have risen in three-straight games and now Johnson has been removed from the offense. In Duke’s last game, Williams played 27 minutes, scored 13 points and notched 5 blocks. While Duke’s rotation is tricky to predict, Williams played well enough to earn another shot here.
Value Tier
Jair Bolden ($4,400) — Despite playing in the worst game environment on the slate, Bolden looks like a potential value target after playing 27 and 39 minutes in back-to-back games. Butler currently is a 2-point favorite over Marquette in a game totaled at 129.5 points. Bolden has a 14.9% usage rate on the season, including an 18.9% shot rate. While Bo Hodges ($7,000) and Aaron Thompson ($6,800) have emerged as this team’s primary scoring options, Bolden still provides consistent value as a starter for this Butler team.
Seventh Woods ($4,200) — On the other side of the Tennessee game, South Carolina draws a difficult matchup against Tennessee’s eighth-ranked defense. However, this team could provide value with Jermaine Couisnard ruled out for the game. With A.J. Lawson ($8,000) and Keyshawn Bryant ($6,600) already playing enormous roles, Justin Minaya ($5,300) and Woods look like the top beneficiaries. Woods currently has a 12.2% usage rate. He accounts for 12.1% of the shots and 15.8% of the rebounds in South Carolina’s last three games. Projected to handle extra minutes, Woods provides value despite the tough matchup.
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