Highest Scoring Teams (DK ONLY):
(by Implied Points & Spreads per KenPom)
Gonzaga -- 83 Points (-20 vs. Portland) **DK ONLY**
Michigan State -- 80 Points (-11 vs. Illinois)
Washington -- 77 Points (-12 vs. UCLA)
Dayton -- 75 Points (-11 vs. La Salle)
USC -- 75 Points (-3 vs. Washington State) **DK ONLY**
Oregon State -- 74 Points (-1 vs. Utah)
Utah -- 73 Points (+1 vs. Oregon State)
Washington State -- 72 Points (+3 vs. USC) **DK ONLY**
Top Guards
Cassius Winston - Michigan State ($8,100 DK / $7,100 FD)
Although Winston missed Sunday’s game with a bruised knee, he’s expected back tonight in Michigan State’s first game of the conference portion of their schedule. The senior point guard will need to be at his best against a pesty Illinois backcourt too. Winston is “only” averaging 31.7 DK points this season - hence the lower price tag on both sites than usual - but his ceiling is much higher than that. He’s put up 41 or more DK points in three of the last seven games and has scored 20 or more real points in five of the past seven. Plus, he’ll benefit from playing at home where he’s shot a lot better than on the road - shooting 45% from the field and 42% from three at home so far and 39% from the field and 30% from three on the road. Without many expensive guards on this slate, Winston should provide a solid DFS floor for cash games - assuming he plays. If Winston ends up sitting again, look at Foster Loyer ($3,900 DK / $3,500 FD) as a value play once he moves into the starting lineup.
Tyler Bey - Colorado ($8,100 DK / $6,800 FD)
Colorado is mainly a two-person team for DFS purposed and Bey is heavily involved as a wing scorer and low-post stretch four. The 6-foot-7 junior leads the Buffs in usage rate (24%), draws a ton of fouls and is a very good rebounder for his size. He could be in line for a massive game tonight against an Oregon frontcourt dealing with some key injuries. Bey is in a bit of a cold streak for what he’s capable of doing - with 26 or less DK points in five of the last six games. However, he’s only a month removed from consistently putting up 35-45 DK points on a nightly basis as a versatile scorer and rebounder.
Quade Green - Washington ($6,800 DK / $6,200 FD)
The price tag for Green is a little higher than he’s been most of the season, but his performance has warranted the increase. The Huskies’ point guard has been a major force offensively over the last six games - scoring double-digit points in every outing and putting up 20 or more points in three of those games. Green is the best passer on the team with a 33.7% assist rate and dishing out seven or more assists in five of the last eight games. He’s also put up 26 or more DK points in five of the past six and he should be right in that range with upside for more against UCLA tonight. The Bruins have a strong frontcourt which could limit some of Washington’s bigs - resulting in Green taking on a bigger usage role.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. - UCLA ($5,800 DK / $4,900 FD)
Although Jaquez played sparingly off the bench in the Bruins’ first six games, he’s slowly become UCLA’s best player over the past month-plus. In the last seven games, the freshman is seeing a big increase in usage and shots share on offense and he’s now started each of the last six for the Bruins. During this span of increased involvement, Jaquez put up 34 or more DK points in four separate games recently and has been the go-to ball-handler and scorer in crunch time when UCLA is in tight games. He’ll be needed more than usual tonight vs. a tough Washington opponent.
Other Guards to Consider:
Ethan Thompson - Oregon State ($7,800 DK / $7,200 FD)
Joel Ayayi - Gonzaga ($7,600 DK Only)
Jonah Mathews - USC ($5,400 DK Only)
D’Shawn Schwartz - Colorado ($5,400 DK / $6,000 FD)
Rocket Watts - Michigan State ($4,300 DK / $4,200 FD)
Top Forwards
Tres Tinkle - Oregon State ($9,200 DK / $8,200 FD)
There’s a reason Tinkle is the most expensive player on DK tonight and second on FD. The Oregon State offense plays heavily through him as an elite wing scorer and playmaker. The senior leads the team in usage rate (28%), shots share (28%), assist rate (27%) and three-point shooting (49% in 55 attempts from deep). Plus, he’s one of the best rebounders on the team despite being just 6-foot-7 and regularly playing alongside the 7-footer Kylor Kelley. To get an idea of how good Tinkle is, consider his stat-stuffing per-game averages of 20.4 points scored, 7.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and two steals with 41.9 DK points per game. He’s usually safe for 30-35 DK points on any given night and usually is putting up a lot more than that. You’ll have to pay up for TInkle, obviously, but he’s been worth it.
Obi Toppin - Dayton ($8,600 DK / $8,100 FD)
If you’re looking to pivot away from Tinkle tonight, paying up for Dayton’s best player is not a bad secondary option. Toppin is a future NBA lottery pick as he’s been dominating opponents through the early part of the season and La Salle will have a tough time limiting him tonight without anyone who can safely match up with him. Toppin leads Dayton in usage rate (26%), shots share (29%), rebounding, blocks and fouls drawn so far and he’s averaging 37.5 DK points this season. Again, Toppin presents a big mismatch for La Salle - a team that has yet to face an athletic, versatile talent like him. Toppin is coming off a performance vs. North Florida when he put up 31 points scored and 46.5 DK points - giving you a good idea of what he can do against lesser competition.
Aaron Henry - Michigan State ($6,000 DK / $6,100 FD)
Michigan State’s been a tough team to predict for DFS purposes because they get so much production from all of their starters and a couple key bench pieces. One guy that is a constant presence this year, though, has been Henry. And the Spartans will need Henry’s defensive length and stat-stuffing instincts against Illinois as they prepare for their tougher Big Ten opponents. Henry is coming off two impressive performances over the last two games with 36 and 28 DK points, respectively, as he contributes across all stat categories. He should be on the court a ton tonight with Illinois boasting a strong frontcourt which could force Xavier Tillman into foul trouble.
N’Faly Dante - Oregon ($4,400 DK / $4,300 FD)
Dante has only played three games this season after he sat out the first part of the year due to academic ineligibility for the fall semester - but he will soon be a major part of Oregon’s plans in 2020. Coming into the year, the freshman was expected to be the Ducks’ best frontcourt player and form a solid pick-and-roll combo with point guard Payton Pritchard. In his three games so far, Dante has seen his playing time and usage slowly increase as Oregon tries to get him into playing shape. He played a season-high 22 minutes on Sunday - a good sign that he may be ready for a bigger workload now that Oregon is into conference play. Plus, the Ducks are dealing with a couple injuries in the frontcourt with Shakur Juiston and CJ Walker being game-time decisions tonight - and Dante may be forced to play more anyway, even if he’s not fully ready for it. He looks like one of the best value plays on this slate.
Other Forwards to Consider:
Isaiah Stewart - Washington ($8,700 DK / $8,000 FD)
Timmy Allen - Utah ($8,400 DK / $7,600 FD)
Filip Petrusev - Gonzaga ($8,000 DK Only)
Trevion Williams - Purdue ($5,900 FD Only)
Marcus Bingham - Michigan State ($4,000 DK / $4,300 FD)
DraftKings Example Lineup:
G: Cassius Winston - MSU ($8,100)
G: Jonah Mathews - USC ($5,400)
G: Jaime Jaquez Jr. - UCLA ($5,800)
F: Obi Toppin - DAY ($8,600)
F: Filip Petrusev - GONZ ($8,000)
F: N’Faly Dante - ORE ($4,400)
U: D’Shawn Schwartz - UC ($5,400)
U: Rocket Watts - MSU ($4,300)
FanDuel Example Lineup:
G: Cassius Winston - MSU ($7,100)
G: Tyler Bey - COLO ($6,800)
G: Quade Green - WASH ($6,200)
G: Jaime Jaquez Jr. - UCLA ($4,900)
F: Tres Tinkle - ORST ($8,200)
F: N’Faly Dante - ORE ($4,300)
F: Obi Toppin - DAY ($8,100)
U: Marcus Bingham - MSU ($4,300)