Highest Scoring Teams:

(by Implied Points & Spreads per KenPom)

  • Memphis -- 87 Points (-15 vs. New Orleans)

  • Arizona State -- 83 Points (-15 vs. Texas Southern) **DK ONLY**

  • Minnesota -- 80 Points (-14 vs. FIU)

  • Butler -- 73 Points (-22 vs. Louisiana Monroe) **DK ONLY**

  • UCLA -- 72 Points (-13 vs. Cal State Fullerton) **DK ONLY**

  • Louisville -- 66 Points (-1 vs. Kentucky)

  • Kentucky -- 65 Points (+1 vs. Louisville)

 

Top Guards

Marcus Carr - Minnesota ($8,400 DK / $7,000 FD)

The Golden Gophers’ starting point guard has been the team’s best playmaker all season long and he’ll be called upon more often with a key injury in the rotation. Payton Willis is expected to sit out a second straight game with an ankle injury and it should result in an increase in usage and shot volume for Carr on offense. When Willis left early vs. Ohio State two games ago, Carr led the team with a 33% usage rate and scored 35 points on 17 shot attempts from the field en route to 54 DK points. When Willis sat out last game, Carr again led the way with a 30% usage rate and put up 33 DK points thanks to his stat-stuffing line of nine points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. The Willis injury has definitely allowed Carr to be more involved, but the sophomore has been doing this all season while leading Minnesota in usage (27%), shots share (25%) and assist rate (37%). In what should be an easy win vs. FIU, Carr is one of the safest cash plays among the high-priced options on this slate.  

Ashton Hagans - Kentucky ($8,300 DK / $7,700 FD)

The best game by far on today’s CBB slate features an in-state rivalry matchup between Louisville and Kentucky. This is the type of game where Hagans will have the ball in his hands a ton on offense and he’ll be needed to do more than usual because Louisville boasts a strong frontcourt - which could limit the Kentucky forwards from doing any damage. Instead, look for Hagans to be the key playmaker on offense and continue his solid DFS production. The sophomore point guard has been remarkably consistent in DFS value lately with at least 34 DK points in eight straight games while dishing out six or more assists in every one of those games. Hagans leads the Wildcats in usage rate this season (25.6%) and his 43.7% assist rate is the fifth-best mark in the whole country. Again, Louisville is very strong in the frontcourt but if they do have a weakness on defense it’s in their guard play - an area where Hagans can take advantage of and provide a solid DFS floor for one of your guard spots on either site. 

Josiah-Jordan James - Tennessee ($5,600 DK / $5,000 FD)

With Lamonte Turner out for the season, look for Josiah-Jordan James to take over the lead point guard duties going forward. The five-star freshman has started every game thus far from the wing position, but he’s expected to start at point guard now for Tennessee as that was his natural position in high school. When Turner went to the bench during games earlier this year, it was James who ran the point in the Vols’ offense and he should have no problem returning value with this increase in usage. He had been a solid DFS play this year before the Turner injury - averaging 20.4 DK points per game while putting up 7.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists - but he will now have a much larger offensive role as the leading point guard. His price tag is decent enough on DK to roster in all formats, but he’s a big value on FD with the potential to return 5x production easily. 

Lester Quinones - Memphis ($5,400 DK / $3,500 FD)

Memphis’ true freshman guard has missed the last month of games after breaking his hand in November, but he’s expected to return to the court today and immediately step back into the rotation. It remains to be seen how many minutes he’ll get, but head coach Penny Hardaway did suggest that Quinones won’t re-enter the starting lineup in his first game back. Still, we can take a chance on him for DFS because he was one of the Tigers’ best players before the injury and will soon regain his regular role as the leading point guard. On FD, especially, Quinones seems like a cash lock because his price tag does not at all reflect him being back. Before the injury, Quinones was one of the best passers on the team saw consistent 21% usage and shots share on offense. He started the first six games for Memphis before getting hurt and he’ll soon take over that role and be priced in the 6k range regularly. 

Davonte Gaines & Jalen Johnson - Tennessee 

We mentioned the Lamonte Turner injury affecting Josiah-Jordan James’ role in the Tennessee offense, but the trickle-down effect should benefit either or both of Gaines and Johnson. One of these two will now start for the Vols today and be a massive value considering their low price tags on both sites. Freshman Davonte Gaines ($3,800 DK / $3,900 FD) seems like the logical choice to start at the wing moving forward because he’s been seeing more playing time off the bench than his teammate and is the better defender of the two. However, Tennessee may opt to go with Jalen Johnson ($3,500 DK / $3,400 FD) because the junior has more experience at the collegiate level and is supposed to be a solid three-point shooting - both aspects that may come in handy vs. Wisconsin. We should strongly consider playing whichever one of these two ends up starting, though, because the uptick in playing time and usage would present a smash value and allow us to pay up for more studs on the expensive end. 

Other Guards to Consider:

  • Kamar Baldwin - Butler ($7,600 DK Only)

  • Jordan Bowden - Tennessee ($7,000 DK / $6,400 FD)

  • Alonzo Verge - Arizona State ($6,500 DK Only)

  • Tre’ Williams - Minnesota ($3,700 DK / $3,800 FD)

 

Top Forwards

Daniel Oturu - Minnesota ($8,900 DK / $8,600 FD)

Minnesota’s center may seem extremely expensive on both sites today, but he’s been very much worth paying up for lately and has a great matchup against FIU. Oturu is second on the Golden Gophers in usage rate (26%) and shots share (24%) and he’s by far the best rebounder on the team with a 38% combined rebounding rate while averaging 10.9 boards per game this season. The 6-foot-10 sophomore is such a force in the paint for opposing defenses and this has allowed him to average 40.5 DK points per game thus far because of how often he dominates on the boards. Oturu should have no problem posting a double-double today with upside for 15 or more rebounds as he’s facing an FIU team that plays extremely fast and does not rebound well. FIU is 15th in tempo overall with the fastest offensive pace in the country - this quick-shot tendency has allowed opposing bigs to feast down low and scoop up tons of rebounds. The price is high for Oturu, but he should be safe for at least 35 DK points in this easy matchup. 

Precious Achiuwa - Memphis ($8,500 DK / $7,200 FD)

Ever since James Wiseman departed Memphis’ rotation, Precious Achiuwa has become the focal point on offense as the team’s best player by far - especially in the frontcourt. Achiuwa was solid even when Wiseman was there, but he’s seeing a ton of usage, shot volume and rebounding opportunities now that he’s the main man in the paint for the Tigers. The freshman leads the team in usage rate (27%) and shots share (26.5%) and his DFS floor is consistently high because of his high involvement on offense. Since Wiseman’s absence, Achiuwa has put up 32 or more DK points in all but one of the last eight games and grabbed 11 or more rebounds in six of those games. He’ll now face a New Orleans team that is terrible on defense and is one of the country’s worst rebounding teams. Achiuwa should easily get a double-double today with upside for a lot more in a cupcake matchup. On the shorter FD slate, Achiuwa seems like a lock considering his lower price tag and lack of competition on the higher end. 

Romello White - Arizona State ($8,100 DK Only)

If you’re playing on DK today, we should get some exposure to the Arizona State players because the offense is projected the score the second-most points on that slate in a fast-paced matchup against a Texas Southern team that is terrible on defense. Romello White has been a DFS stud lately - putting up 41 or more DK points in three of the last four games - and he’ll have a huge rebounding advantage today. Texas Southern’s fast tempo allows for a ton of rebound opportunities as is - and they are not good at grabbing defensive boards because of their quick pace on offense. This plays right into White’s strengths as his 27% defensive rebounding rate is the 27th-best in the country and he’s grabbed 11 or more boards in six straight games. White seems like a lock for a double-double and he’s a great cash game pivot away from Oturu, Achiuwa or Louisville’s Jordan Nwora at the high end of forwards on the DK slate. 

Jaime Jaquez Jr. - UCLA ($5,500 DK Only)

Another DK-Only game features UCLA and we should be strongly considering Jaquez on that site because of his recent emergence as the team’s best player. The true freshman began the year coming off the bench for the Bruins, but he’s now started the past five games and is seeing a ton of usage in the offense. Jaquez has put up 34 or more DK points in four of the last six games while seeing a massive bump in playing time, usage, shots share and rebounding. Over the last six games where’s been a focal point in UCLA’s rotation, the 6-foot-6 wing is averaging 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and two steals per game. The Bruins’ starting lineup and rotation have been a roller coaster all year - but they’ve seemingly found their go-to playmaker and he should continue to start and having a solid role on offense moving forward. Eventually his price tag should rise into the 6-7k range and he’s a good value on this slate at this price tag on DK. 

Micah Potter - Wisconsin ($5,300 DK / $4,000 FD)

The Badgers have waited patiently for Potter to make his debut and it finally came last game when he put up 19 DK points, 12 points scored and five rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench. The Ohio State transfer had to sit out a full year to become eligible for Wisconsin, but it’s clear he will have a role moving forward this season. His large size - at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds - gives the Badgers a second true big man to compliment Nate Reuvers in the post and it’s encouraging to see Potter be so effective in limited playing time in his first game back. Wisconsin will definitely need his size down low against Tennessee today and he could eventually play 20-30 minutes in the rotation with some starts as a real possibility. Potter started a handful of games in his two years at Ohio State and Wisconsin loves to run their offense through their frontcourt - something that’s hurt them this season with the offseason departure of Ethan Happ. Potter presents some nice value on both sites today, but his FD price makes him a near-lock for the upside he provides. 

Other Forwards to Consider:

  • Jordan Nwora - Louisville ($8,700 DK / $8,000 FD)

  • D.J. Jeffries - Memphis ($6,100 DK / $5,600 FD)

  • Nate Sestina - Kentucky ($5,300 DK / $4,700 FD)

  • Jordan Tucker - Butler ($4,300 DK Only)

 

DraftKings Example Lineup:

G: Ashton Hagans - UK ($8,300)

G: Josiah-Jordan James - TENN ($5,600)

G: Tre’ Williams - MINN ($3,700)

F: Romello White - ASU ($8,100)

F: Daniel Oturu - MINN ($8,900)

F: Jaime Jaquez Jr. - UCLA ($5,500)

U: Micah Potter - WISC ($5,300)

U: Jordan Tucker - BUTLE ($4,300)

 

FanDuel Example Lineup:

G: Lester Quinones - MEM ($3,500)

G: Marcus Carr - MINN ($7,000)

G: Ashton Hagans - UK ($7,700)

G: Josiah-Jordan James - TENN ($5,000)

F: Daniel Oturu - MINN ($8,600)

F: Precious Achiuwa - MEM ($7,200)

F: Micah Potter - WIS ($4,000)

U: Jordan Bowden - TENN ($6,400)