EARLY SLATE (DK Only)

Highest Scoring Teams:

(by Implied Points per KenPom)

  • North Carolina State -- 81 Points (-1 vs. Memphis)

  • Memphis -- 80 Points (+1 vs. NC State)

  • Iowa State -- 80 Points (-4 vs. Alabama)

  • Alabama -- 76 Points (+4 vs. Iowa State)

  • Wake Forest -- 74 Points (-5 vs. Charleston)

  • Marquette - 74 Points (-4 vs. Davidson)

  • North Carolina -- 73 Points (-2 vs. Michigan)

Best Plays 

Precious Achiuwa - Memphis ($7,900)

With James Wiseman still out for Memphis, Achiuwa is the clear-cut top option on offense and he should see even more usage with Lester Quinones now injured for the next month. Achiuwa was involved a ton even when Wiseman was there, but his DFS ceiling and floor have increased dramatically as he’s now the main guy in the frontcourt without much depth at the position for Memphis. The five-star freshman leads the Tigers is offensive usage (30%) and shots share (27%) and is far-and-away the best rebounder on the team. In his last game, we saw Achiuwa’s best performance yet as he put up 50 DK points with 25 points scored, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Maybe we don’t get that type of game again, but he did put up at least 34 DK points in the two games prior - a realistic expectation for him today in a fast-paced matchup vs. North Carolina State. 

Grant Riller - College of Charleston ($7,400)

It seems like every slate we have at least one random mid-major team that features a stud player who’s underpriced. That’s Grant Riller today and we can confidently roll him out even though you may have never heard of him. The senior point guard dominates the offensive usage (32%) and shots share (28%) for the College of Charleston while leading the team in assist rate (35%) with an 85% minutes share. He’s averaging 21.4 real points and 38.1 DK points per game this season. Some may be scared off by Riller’s matchup today against a tougher opponent in Wake Forest, but he’s already put up 34 and 38 DK points against power programs UCF and Oklahoma State, respectively. Riller’s floor is so high because of his high involvement on offense with the ball in his hands on nearly every possession. 

Armando Bacot - North Carolina ($6,700)

As long as Bacot’s price tag remains below 7k, we need to be strongly considering him in all formats. The North Carolina center has put up three straight double-doubles since he left a game early with a concussion a couple weeks ago and he’s averaged 38.7 DK points over this span. While Cole Anthony is the Tar Heels’ best player, Bacot has emerged as the clear No. 2 as he’s been a beast on the boards and is the second-leading scorer behind his fellow freshman. Eventually his salary will catch up to his production but we should be taking advantage of the “value” while we still can - even if he has to deal with Michigan’s Jon Teske in the paint today.  

Alex Lomax - Memphis ($5,900)

We should be targeting this game heavily as both Memphis and North Carolina State play at fast tempos and the game is expected to be back-and-forth and high-scoring overall. One cheaper way to get exposure to this matchup is through Alex Lomax. The sophomore guard has come off the bench all season but he may finally crack the starting lineup today with Lester Quinones now out for the next month-plus with a broken hand. Lomax was already averaging 20-25 minutes per game before the injury and now he should see a big increase in playing time and likely crack the starting rotation. Lomax is Memphis’ best passer as he leads the team in assist rate this season and has at least five assists in three straight games. Last game (after Quinones got hurt), he ended up with 33.75 DK points in 29 minutes with season-high’s in points (14), assists (7) and rebounds (7). Lomax could be a bargain in this fast-paced matchup with NC State where his ball-handling and passing will be even more important now that one of Memphis’ starting guards is out. 

Isaiah Mucius - Wake Forest ($4,800)

With Chaundee Brown sitting out last game with a foot injury, Mucius was the biggest beneficiary of his teammate’s absence and he should be one of the best values on this slate if Brown is out again. On Friday, Mucius led Wake Forest in offensive usage (30%) and had a season-high 28.5 DK points with 11 points scored and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 sophomore was already leading the team in shots share coming into the game and he took advantage of Brown being out. It’s unclear how much Brown will play today as he’s been limited in practice, but expect continued high usage for Mucius even if Brown is active and playing less than usual. At this sub-5k price tag, Mucius can easily provide 4x or 5x value with his high involvement on offense. 

Franz Wagner - Michigan ($4,000)

Despite fracturing his wrist in October, Wagner returned to the court quicker than expected and made his collegiate debut yesterday for Michigan. The 6-foot-9 freshman got the surprise start against Iowa State on Wednesday and put up 14.25 DK points in 23 minutes at his minimum price tag. His salary is still a value - with only a $1,000 price increase - and we should expect more playing time and offensive involvement against North Carolina today. Wagner’s court time was cut short yesterday because of early foul trouble but he should push 30 minutes if he avoids those issues today. At this price, he doesn’t have to do much to return 4x or 5x value and rostering him will allow you to fit in one or two more high-priced players.  

Others to Consider:

  • Kira Lewis Jr. - Alabama ($9,000)

  • Tyrese Haliburton - Iowa State ($8,800)

  • Markell Johnson - NC State ($7,300)

  • D.J. Jeffries - Memphis ($6,600)

  • Rasir Bolton - Iowa State ($5,400)

  • Wendell Mitchell - Texas A&M ($4,100)

 

Example Lineup:

G: Kira Lewis - BAMA ($9,000)

G: Franz Wagner - MICH ($4,000)

G: Alex Lomax - MEM ($5,900)

F: Armando Bacot - UNC ($6,700)

F: Precious Achiuwa - MEM ($7,900)

F: Isaiah Mucius - WAKE ($4,800)

U: Grant Riller - COFC ($7,400)

U: Wendell Mitchell - TA&M ($4,100)