This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
DraftKings is hosting their $10 Big Jam Contest with $3K up for grabs including $1K to first in a rare seven-game Sunday slate. FanDuel has its own six game slate, with all six games overlapping the main slate on DraftKings. The slate features three teams in the AP top-25, including three Big 10 matchups. Let's get on to the action.
Top Players
E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State ($9,300 DK, $8,600 FD)
Ohio State hasn't taken the court since their win over Wisconsin on Dec. 11, when Liddell dropped 50.8 DK points. The forward averages 40.1 DK points/game and has played at least 31 minutes in four of his last five games. He has a monster 34.7 percent usage rate and leads the team in points/game (20.6) and rebounds/game (7.2). In addition, the matchup has an implied total of 149.5 and Nebraska's quick pace of play should allow plenty of scoring opportunities for the big guy. He has one of the best chances to post 50 DK points on the slate, something he's done twice this season already.
Jamal Shead, G, Houston ($8,000 DK, $7,900 FD)
Houston has suffered terribly from injuries, and Shead is carrying the Cougars through these rough times. They lost leading scorers Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark for the remainder of the season. In addition, Kyler Edwards is unlikely to play Sunday. This leaves Shead to lead a very shallow team in a matchup against Temple, though the Cougars are still favored by 12 points. He's scored over 30 DK points in four of his last five games, while attempting at least 11 field goals in the last four contests. He is coming off his last game where he has 12 points, 10 assists and four rebounds in 35 minutes. There is plenty of value to be found with Houston on Sunday. Fabian White ($7,100 DK) is also a solid option who will be forced to step up and play more minutes after scoring at least 39.3 DK points in two of his last three games.
Middle Tier
Kyle Young, F, Ohio State ($5,600 DK, $6,000 FD)
Ohio State is projected to score 79.5 points, which is the highest on the slate. Young continues to come off the bench, but he has at least 24 DK points in each of his last three games. He had an impressive 14 rebounds off the bench against Wisconsin, raising his average to 6.7/game. He is just one of three Buckeyes to average double figures in scoring this season. Young and E.J. Liddell are the only two on the team that average more than one DK point/minute they are on the court.
Race Thompson, F, Indiana ($6,700 DK, $7,100 FD)
Indiana is led by its two forwards, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Thompson. However, Thompson flies under the radar because of the playmaking ability of Jackson-Davis. Thompson averages 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 26 minutes. He has scored in double figures in each of his last six games. The forward is consistently averaging high 20's to low 30's for DK points, exactly what you're hoping for in this salary range.
Value Plays
Chase Audige, G/F, Northwestern ($4,400 DK, $6,000 FD)
Audige's salary doesn't reflect his true ability on the court, and he's a a good opportunity for high value. He missed the first seven games this season due to a hip injury, but has since started in the last three. In those three game's, he has the highest team usage rate of 29.6 percent. In his first game back, he scored 14 points and took a team-high 17 field goal attempts. He was Northwestern's leading scorer last season, averaging 12.3 ppg. The Wildcats will need him to provide quality minutes in a closely-contested matchup with Michigan State. The only question is how much playing time he'll get, but he should be ready to go off 13 days rest. At this low of a price range, the reward outvalues the risk.
Ramon Walker, G, Houston ($3,000 DK, $3,500 FD)
This is a situation to watch carefully. Walker is a freshman who has only played in three games this season since returning from hand surgery. However, it is increasingly likely that he will be forced into a big role against Temple Sunday with the three Houston guards mentioned above out. In just three games, he already saw his minutes increase from seven to 17 to 23. If Kyler Edwards is out, Walker is a very sneaky play who should see plenty of playing time. It would be very rare for a minimum salary player to see the court this much.
