This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
A slightly smaller nine-game main slate tips off three waves of contests Saturday at DraftKings, starting between noon and 2:30 p.m. EST. A $5,000 first-place prize and $15,000 in total winnings are up for grabs, while my risk-adverse self is likely going to play in a single-entry with a $1,500 pot, $200 first-place prize while only competing against 355 other lineups.
Four players are priced in the five-figure range, highlighted by aces in the Auburn-Alabama showdown with Johni Broome ($10,800), who decimated the Tide in the last meeting on Feb. 15. However, he let me down last weekend. Another top option is Alabama's Mark Sears ($10,400), who is scoring in bunches of late, but he went just 4-of-17 last time against the Tigers. Only six additional players check in at $9,000 or greater, so we should be able to build from balance and not have to dip too low into the bargain options.
College Basketball DFS Top Players
Maxime Raynaud, F, Stanford ($9,000)
With just two double-doubles in his last six games, Raynaud has seen a great price break from his season-high $10,500, which should immediately make him a top option. In 18 of the Cardinal's 30 games to date, Raynaud has topped 40 DKP, so we have strong odds at a better than 4x return. There is a blowout concern with Louisville being heavy favorites, and it is very stout defensively, ranking 24th in efficiency, per KenPom. But outside of James Scott, the 'Ville is undersized, potentially allowing for Raynaud to be an offensive mismatch while also a monster on the glass.
John Tonje, G, Wisconsin ($8,200)
This looks like a game that could be overlooked for DFS purposes, but it comes with the slate's third-highest total at 155.0. Tonje has a nice, discounted price compared to the stars in the 'Bama-Auburn game, and his salary is down considerably after peaking at $9,800. Yes, he's failed to reach 30 DKP in two of his last three, but he's also taken at least 10 shots in 11 straight games, averaging 21.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.9 steals with a 30.2 percent usage rate. A nice floor play that still comes with 5x potential in a plus matchup thanks to Penn State's 55th ranked pace.
Amari Williams, F, Kentucky ($8,000)
I faded Williams last week against Auburn, and that was a poor decision. I still don't love his minutes and propensity to foul, as he's averaging 24.3 minutes per game over his last 11 outings, but it comes with an impressive 26.9 percent usage rate. He posted 39.0 DKP against Auburn, and then 27.0 DKP in just 19 minutes in a blowout win of LSU, so he's highly effective when on the court. This game comes with a tremendous 170.0 expected point total, and Missouri has allowed 90+ points in three of their last four. Pairing him with Raynaud gives you two high-ceiling frontcourt options at discounted prices.
See how these players stack up among other power conference talent in RotoWire's fantasy college basketball rankings.
Middle Tier
Keshon Gilbert, G, Iowa State ($6,600)
I promise that my premise in this column is not to find players whose prices have slipped, yet that's the immediate appeal of Gilbert. He's been as high as $9,200, missed two games recently, and was eased back at first. However, he played 43 minutes in the Cyclones' last outing. It resulted in 37.25 DKP, in large part due to eight steals, which we obviously can't bank on, though the Wildcats rank 207th in turnover percentage and 202nd in steal percentage allowed offensively. Gilbert is a multi-stat contributor on a favored team expected to score nearly 75 points; he's got multiple paths to success.
Jason Edwards, G, Vanderbilt ($5,400)
We've got a player coming off a 0-for-12 showing and a $800 price break as a result. Yes, please! Over his last 13 games, Edwards has taken at least nine shots in all, averaging 13.4 attempts, while earning a 30.7 percent usage rate. He's strictly a scorer, averaging 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in this stretch, but we can live with that at the decreased price. The total in this game has risen approximately three points since this article was started, and if the game remains tight, Edwards will be hoisting freely.
Clifford Omoruyi, F, Alabama ($5,000)
This is the second game on the slate where we know we at least want shares, if not stacks, given the 177.5-point expectancy, and the teams played to 179 points in an earlier meeting. I'll side with Omoruyi over fellow frontcourt mate Grant Nelson ($5,900) for a seemingly safer floor. Omoruyi is averaging 8.5 rebounds over his last six games, failing to play 23 minutes just twice. He won't have Nelson's double-double potential, as anything we get from him points wise is a bonus. And given the expected points, he's unlikely to be shutout there, putting a 4x return well within reach.
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Bargain Options
Andrew Carr, F, Kentucky ($4,900)
Not at all intending to double stack Carr with Williams, but there's appeal in both. Carr has been reinserted into the starting lineup over the last five games, averaging 12.6 points and 3.8 rebounds with a modest 20.6 percent usage, posting a usable 22.25 DKP for this sub-5k price. The game script certainly adds appeal, and truth be told, the bargain options at forward aren't readily apparent.
Tamar Bates, G, Missouri ($4,600)
This is simply about getting a cheap piece of this high-scoring game. Bates is inconsistent, and has topped a 20 percent usage rate just once in his last seven games. Missouri is also deep, so minutes over 20 aren't a certainty. But he's failed to reach 3x just twice in this recent span, and when paired with minor peripheral stats and the game's expected pace, we can cautiously pencil him in for a similar return.
Simeon Wilcher, G, St. John's ($3,400)
This may be a bit of a reach, and it will require news hunting Saturday morning, but we know St. John's will be without starting guard Deivon Smith, and it seems probable Wilcher slots into that role as a result. In 19 starts to date, Wilcher is averaging 28.4 minutes, providing 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals. While far from elite, we don't need him to be at this price. Assuming he starts, it'd be difficult to have worse than a 2x return, which we can make up at the higher end, but a breakout performance could yield as great as a 9x return.
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