Highest Scoring Teams:

(by Implied Points & Spreads per KenPom)

  • Marquette -- 80 Points (-7 vs. Georgetown)

  • Florida -- 76 Points (-3 vs. LSU)

  • LSU -- 73 Points (+3 vs. Florida)

  • Notre Dame -- 73 Points (-5 vs. Boston College)

  • Georgetown -- 73 Points (+7 vs. Marquette)

  • Penn State -- 71 Points (-6 vs. Rutgers)

  • Missouri -- 71 Points (-1 vs. Vanderbilt) **DK ONLY**

  • Vanderbilt -- 70 Points (+1 vs. Missouri) **DK ONLY**

  • Stanford -- 70 Points (-11 vs. Utah) **FD ONLY**

  • Pittsburgh -- 70 Points (-1 vs. Syracuse)

 

Top Guards

Markus Howard - Marquette ($9,400 DK / $8,500 FD)

No surprises here as to who the top guard is on this slate. Until Markus Howard proves us otherwise, we need to seriously consider him no matter how expensive he seems. In cash games, it’s so hard to fade him because if he puts up 50+ DK points (like he did on Saturday) then you’re already at a disadvantage with not many other players who can match his DFS upside. Of course there’s the “bust” risk of 30 or less DK points - like he’s done multiple times lately - but tonight’s matchup is likely one where he finishes on the high end of his floor/ceiling scale. This game vs. Georgetown will surely be fast-paced and high-scoring with a slate-high 153 total points expected. When Howard faced the Hoyas earlier this year, he had one of his best games of the season with 42 points scored and 51.5 DK points. We can honestly see a performance similar to that one and that’s exactly the scenario that would be the difference between cashing and not. 

Skylar Mays - LSU ($8,000 DK / $7,500 FD)

This LSU-Florida matchup has the second-highest total on the slate and the best pure scorer in the game is Skylar Mays. LSU’s senior combo guard is averaging 17.2 PPG over the last ten games and he’s not too far removed from averaging 25.6 points in a recent three-game span. Not only is Mays on a scoring streak lately, but he’s also putting up a ton of ancillary stats to give him a solid DFS floor with upside. We’ve seen two of those ceiling games in the past month when he had 58 DK points vs. Auburn and 49 DK points vs. Alabama. Both those matchups were fast-paced ones, but Mays was still very good against Florida when they met earlier this year - he put up 39 DK points with 18 points scored, seven assists and four steals. At these salaries, Mays should be a safe cash play with GPP upside as well. 

Jahvon Blair - Georgetown ($5,600 DK / $5,000 FD)

Ever since Mac McClung got hurt at the beginning of February, Jahvon Blair has stepped up to become Georgetown’s top scorer over the last month. McClung actually returned to the Hoyas’ lineup last week but played just eight minutes before re-injuring his foot. He then sat out Georgetown’s last game on Saturday and should be viewed as doubtful tonight. In McClung’s absence, Blair has moved into the starting rotation for the past six games and he’s played 37 or more minutes in every outing while mostly leading the team in shot volume and usage as the best offensive option. Outside of a dud outing last time out, Blair averaged 32 DK points and 21.4 points scored in his five other starts in McClung’s place. We should expect him to return to that production in a fast-paced game with Marquette that saw 164 combined points when these teams met earlier this year. 

Noah Locke - Florida ($5,000 DK / $4,800 FD)

As we mentioned earlier, this Florida-LSU matchup is definitely one to target on this slate and Noah Locke presents a cheaper avenue to get exposure to the game. The sophomore is Florida’s starting shooting guard and his three-point sharpshooting could prove valuable tonight. LSU’s defense is terrible at defending the three-pointer - allowing the conference’s highest shooting percentage from deep and the second-most points from beyond the arc. This is where Locke can excel as he’s shooting 49% from three-point range during conference play - which is the best mark in the SEC. It’s almost a matchup made in heaven and the path to big upside is there from Locke. When he faced LSU earlier this season, he drained 4-of-7 from deep and put up 22 DK points with his 16 points scored. This should be a nice bounceback spot for Locke after he had negative DFS points last time out vs. Kentucky - something that could keep his ownership down. 

Charles Manning Jr. - LSU ($4,400 DK / $4,000 FD)

After recently missing eight games with a foot injury, Charles Manning has returned to playing a key bench role for LSU’s rotation and he’s a great value on this slate. In his three games back from injury, the freshman has seen his minutes and DFS production slowly increase as he regains full conditioning and health. On Saturday, Manning had one of his best games of the season when he put up 23.5 DK points in 23 minutes with a balanced stat line of nine points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks/steals. It’s clear that Manning will continue to get extended playing time as the first option off the bench and he adds valuable length, energy and defense when he’s on the court. Plus, it appears that Manning has taken his sixth-man role back from Marlon Taylor - who filled in as a value when his teammate was hurt. 

Other Guards to Consider:

  • Marcus Carr - Minnesota ($8,600 DK / $7,600 FD)

  • Jay Heath - Boston College ($6,300 DK / $5,200 FD)

  • Terrell Allen - Georgetown ($6,300 DK / $5,200 FD)

  • Desi Sills - Arkansas ($4,800 DK / $4,700 FD)

  • Marlon Taylor - LSU ($4,300 DK / $4,100 FD)

  • Jalen Johnson - Tennessee ($4,200 DK / $4,300 FD)

 

Top Forwards

John Mooney - Notre Dame ($8,800 DK / $8,400 FD)

The Fighting Irish’s senior center is a double-double machine and while this keeps his DFS floor very safe on every slate he’s one, there’s also some upside in a favorable matchup tonight. Boston College is one of the worst rebounding teams in the ACC and in all of college basketball as they simply don’t have any good rebounders in their frontcourt. This sets up well for Mooney, who’s offensive and defensive rebounding rates are both top three in the conference. When he faced BC earlier this season, Mooney put up an easy 44.5 DK points with his 16 points and 18 rebounds. This type of game is possible for him on any slate but even more so against a soft individual matchup in the paint - where Mooney should dominate on the boards even at 6-foot-9. There’s a little risk with Notre Dame playing on the road - where Mooney is a little worse than at home - but we shouldn’t be too worried about a guy who’s recorded a double-double eight times in the last ten games. 

Jalen Smith - Maryland ($8,400 DK / $8,300 FD)

Despite a down game last Sunday at Ohio State, Jalen Smith was a DFS stud over the previous nine games and we can’t forget how important he is to the Maryland offense right now. The Terps mostly live and die by their two stars, Smith and point guard Anthony Cowan, and this has made their big man even more valuable for DFS because of his increased usage over the past couple months. The matchup against Minnesota center Daniel Oturu is definitely a tougher one than usual, but Smith has proven he can be successful against other Big Ten centers this year. Before his dud over the weekend, Smith posted a double-double in each of the nine previous games and averaged 43.7 DK points, 19 real points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per outing during that span. Maryland will be looking to bounce back with a win after their recent loss and we can bank on Jalen Smith being a huge part of that effort. 

Lamar Stevens - Penn State ($8,100 DK / $7,300 FD)

The Nittany Lions have become legit contenders in the Big Ten in large part due to Lamar Stevens’ emergence as one of the conference’s best players. The senior wing is averaging 21 PPG over the last ten games as he is dominating the shot volume in Penn State’s offense. During conference play, Stevens owns a 31% usage rate and 31% shots share - both marks are among the top four in the Big Ten and lead the team by a wide margin. There’s no denying who the alpha scorer is for PSU - and Stevens also adds DFS value with his rebounding, steals, blocks and assists every game. Although he only put up 21 DK points against Rutgers back in January, we can expect a much better game from him this time around as Stevens has a bigger role in the offense now than he did back then. Over the last ten, he’s averaging 35 DK points and has put up 40+ DK points in four recent outings. He’s actually a bargain on this slate - especially on FD with that price differential. 

Adrio Bailey - Arkansas ($5,100 DK / $4,800 FD)

Although Isaiah Joe is back healthy for Arkansas, it hasn’t stopped Adrio Bailey from being a solid value play as his playing time has not been affected. With Joe back in the starting lineup on Saturday, Bailey still put up 24 DK points in 31 minutes with his 11 points scored, five rebounds, two steals and a block. It’s very encouraging to see Arkansas’ starting big man play that much and still have an offensive role despite Joe being back (and scoring a team-high 21 points in that last game). Plus, Bailey was the only forward to play meaningful minutes over the weekend while former starter Reggie Chaney played just five minutes for a second straight game. In the last six games, Bailey is now averaging 22 DK points, 10.7 real points, five rebounds and 1.7 steals per outing - which makes him a good value option until his salaries increase more. 

John Harrar - Penn State ($3,800 DK / $4,000 FD)

Your guess is as good as mine as to why John Harrar remains this cheap on both sites. The junior center has now started 11 straight games and more often than not he’s logging more minutes than former starter Mike Watkins - who’s been relegated to the bench as a super-sub. Harrar doesn’t offer much offensive upside, but his rebounding and periodical ancillary stats helps him return enough value. He’s put up 13 or more DK points in five straight games and had 20+ in two of those. Since Harrar became a regular starter in Penn State’s frontcourt, his DFS floor is much safer and we should feel good about him as a value play on this slate. 

Other Forwards to Consider:

  • Daniel Oturu - Minnesota ($9,200 DK / $8,800 FD)

  • Elijah Hughes - Syracuse ($7,800 DK / $7,800 FD)

  • Keyontae Johnson - Florida ($7,600 DK / $6,300 FD)

  • Branden Carlson - Utah ($5,100 FD Only)

  • Terrell Brown - Pittsburgh ($4,200 DK / $4,200 FD)

  • Seth Lundy - Penn State ($3,800 DK / $4,000 FD)

 

DraftKings Example Lineup:

G: Markus Howard - MARQ ($9,400)

G: Noah Locke - UF ($5,000)

G: Charles Manning - LSU ($4,400)

F: John Mooney - ND ($8,800)

F: Elijah Hughes - SYR ($7,800)

F: John Harrar - PSU ($3,800)

U: Adrio Bailey - ARK ($5,100)

U: Jahvon Blair - GU ($5,600)

 

FanDuel Example Lineup:

G: Markus Howard - MARQ ($8,500)

G: Skylar Mays - LSU ($7,500)

G: Jahvon Blair - GTWN ($5,000)

G: Charles Manning - LSU ($4,000)

F: Jalen Smith - MD ($8,300)

F: Lamar Stevens - PSU ($7,300)

F: John Harrar - PSU ($4,000)

U: Jay Heath - BC ($5,200)