This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
DraftKings is easing into the college hoops daily game this season, and as a result, so are we. Unfortunately, Saturday's main slate features a modest $3,000 total prize pool and $1,000 first-place prize. Not chump change by any means, and you've only got to beat 351 other lineups to win it, but it's not overly appealing. Further, Saturday's best games are Arkansas-Baylor and Auburn-Houston, both of which aren't included here by in the DK night slate that has a $500 prize pool. C'mon!
Top Players
PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis ($8,600)
This is a game we want to target, likely on multiple levels, and I wouldn't blame anyone for building around UNLV's Jeremiah Cherry ($9,400) simply for his forward eligibility. But for $800 less, we get an elite player in a game with a narrow spread and 158.0 point total. Haggerty played 39 minutes against Missouri, earning a 30.5 percent usage, posting a 25-6-5 line in route to 40.0 DKP. It's in line with what he averaged at Tulsa last season, and by leading the team in shots, it's clear he's the Tigers alpha. Volume is safe, and ample production should follow if the game plays out as expected.
Thomas Sorber, F, Georgetown ($7,800)
Sorber was elite in his collegiate debut, posting 45.8 DKP by way of 20 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and two steals, hitting an impressive 10-of-13 from the charity stripe in 29 minutes. At 6-foot-10, 255 pounds, he's going to be a problem for Fairfield who has some size, but no one on the roster within 25 pounds of the Georgetown freshman. The Hoyas are expected to flirt with 85 points Saturday, and while eight played 10+ minutes in their opener, five saw 28+, so Sorber should be featured plenty.
Amari Williams, F, Kentucky ($7,500)
Kentucky has an 87.8 point expectancy, so we'll clearly want at least a piece of their attack. As such, my preference is an option that has more paths to fantasy points, and Williams fits that bill, posting a 12 point, 13 rebound line in his UK debut. He was a double-digit scorer for each of the last two years at Drexel, also flirting with eight rebounds, and at 6-foot-10, 262 pounds, he's likely to play as much as possible in order to match up with Bucknell's best option in Noah Williamson (7-foot, 250 pounds, 25.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg)
Middle Tier
J'Vonne Hadley, G, Louisville ($6,300)
I'm unwilling to pay the premium for unproven Kasean Pryor ($7,300) here, but knowing we want a part of Louisville in a potentially close game, I'm happy to buy into Hadley as a safe option. He averaged 34.2 minutes at USF last season, posting 11.6 ppg and 6.0 rpg, and needed only 22 minutes to go for 15 and three in the Cardinals opener. This game should be much closer, fiving Hadley an expectation of 30-ish minutes.
Jailen Bedford, G, UNLV ($5,900)
As noted above, pieces on each side of this game is a prudent strategy. Bedford grabbed six boards in his UNLV debut after averaging 6.4 last season at Oral Roberts. He saw a 21.1 percent usage rate in 30 minutes Monday, hoisting 11 shots. If a few more fall, he'll have the opportunity to exceed the 18.5 DKP he posted.
Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona ($5,400)
Outside of Hadley, I don't love the mid-tier Saturday, as there are ample bargains worth taking a shot on while stacking your lineup in a top heavy position. Awaka had a pathetic 8.8 percent usage rate in his Wildcat debut, but grabbed eight rebounds while providing a useful 18.8 DKP. He also committed four fouls in 20 minutes. There's no guarantee he'll see more burn in a likely blowout if he's less hack happy, but it's a reasonable enough narrative to bank a 3x return floor.
Value Plays
Jahmai Mashack, G, Tennessee ($4,800)
Mashack started both the Volunteers exhibition game and season opener, and turned in 19 total points, eight rebounds and seven steals. He played 29 minutes and while the overall usage was low (14.4 percent), he took four 3-pointers and faces a Cardinals' defense that allowed 34.9 percent of longballs to succeed in their first game. Most importantly, we've got a reasonably high point total and narrow spread, so we can feel confident in playing time. Scoring in double figures, stumbling into rebounds and adding defensive stats give Mashack a 4x ceiling at this price.
Sean Durugordon, F, Old Dominion ($4,200)
I like almost all of the Monarchs' starting lineup as options to round out your lineup for cheap. Yes, they'll get blown out, but they showed a tight seven-man rotation in their opening loss to Buffalo, with four playing at least 28 minutes. Durugodron gets the nod here as a forward over guard Robert Davis ($5,200), as he has a more diverse path to fantasy points, not relying simply on hoisting 3-pointers. He averaged 18.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg at Siena last year and is off a 12 point, eight board game. At this price, even eight and eight is fine.
Jaehshon Thomas, G, Charlotte ($3,700)
The 49ers played all five of their starters at least 28 minutes in their opener, and they can flirt with 70 points Saturday, putting all of their options in play. They grabbed a meager 21 total rebounds in that game, so there's not a ton of peripheral stats available, which leads me to the lower end of their core. Thomas averaged 16.0 points at Florida Southwestern College last year and debuted with an 18-3-3 line, shooting lights out. That's unlikely to repeat, but it doesn't need to at this low price. Even a 10-2-2 line gives us a 4.2x return.
