This article is part of our DraftKings College Basketball series.
Included Games
Georgetown at Providence
TCU at West Virginia
Kentucky at South Carolina
Northern Iowa at Wichita State
Wake Forest at N.C. State
Kansas State at Oklahoma State
Texas A&M at LSU
Arkansas at Mississippi
Georgia Tech at Clemson
Purdue at Michigan
Washington at Colorado
Kansas at Oklahoma
Xavier at Butler
Tennessee at Missouri
Guards:
Tyree Griffin, Oklahoma State ($4,400): If you take Griffin's last game and last matchup against Kansas State, he totaled 58.5 fantasy points (29.25 per game). With the absence of Jawun Evans (who I assume will be out once again as Travis Ford said, "I don't think he'll be back anytime soon," a mere four days ago), Griffin has been inserted into starting point guard spot with increased minutes and usage. The very least you can say about Griffin is he doesn't foul much and could play nearly 40 minutes.
Antonio Blakeney, LSU ($5,300): Little known to many, Ben Simmons wasn't the highly touted recruit to land down in Baton Rouge (No. 15 on the ESPN 100; for reference, this was a spot held down by Justise Winslow last year). Blakeney didn't immediately catch fire the way his freshman teammate and likely future No. 1 draft pick Ben Simmons did, but has averaged 35 minutes and 35.88 fantasy points per game over his last two.
Cody Martin, N.C. State ($4,900): Martin's minutes have seesawed all season for a litany of reasons, with foul trouble featuring prominently. However, Martin has averaged 37.5 minutes per game in his last two, and in just 25 minutes in the first matchup with Wake Forest he had eight points, eight rebounds and seven assists on his way to 28.5 fantasy points. Despite being an identical twin Caleb Martin (a three-point marksman), Cody doesn't have the same game, as he makes his money (so to speak) from close range and on the defensive end, which is a perfect combination against Wake Forest.
Shembari Phillips, Tennessee ($3,800): The rotations for the Vols have been pretty fluid this season. Players' minutes have come and minutes have gone. This makes trusting Phillips' 31 minutes last time out in a blowout against Auburn less than trustworthy. However, his 23 minutes and 18 fantasy points at Arkansas two-back is less fishy. Head coach Rick Barnes has used the words "junk yard dog" in his description of Phillips, and if the freshman maintains these minutes, hw could be very well worth his low-low price tag.
Danuel House, Texas A&M ($7,400): It's very easy to land on teammate Jalen Jones before House. It would be very reasonable to do so paying just $100 more for possibly more shots and likely more rebounds. Jones outscored House by six fantasy points last time these two teams squared off. The House selection comes via reading between the lines. One, Jones will be given the impossible task of guarding Ben Simmons. Two, Jones struggles with foul trouble, routinely fouling 4.5 times per 40 minutes, and Simmons draws fouls at a rate near the top of the nation with 7.0 per 40 minutes.
Let's read a little further into that last matchup between the Aggies and the Tigers: House played 32 minutes, took nine field goal attempts (making just two), grabbed 10 rebounds and delivered six dimes. Jones (yes, partially due to foul trouble) played 27 minutes, took 14 field goal attempts (making nine) and grabbed six rebounds. The field goal percentages on the year are nearly identical so that number should even itself out, but more telling are the individual matchups. Jones will likely see Simmons on both sides of the court. House, on the other hand, will see some combination of Keith Hornsby and Antonio Blankeney, both of whom he posses a three-inch height edge over.
Forwards:
A.J. Hammons, Purdue ($8,400): There may not be another big man in the nation with the upside Hammons brings to the table, especially now that he's regularly seeing up to 30 minutes. In his last three games he's averaging 51 fantasy points. 51!!! Michigan has among the worst interior presences in the Big Ten. Mark Donnal simply won't have an answer for the Hammonster. The floor can dropout on Hammons with foul trouble and limited minutes, so be weary of that when constructing your cash lineups.
Marquese Chriss, Washington ($7,000): This must be prefaced with the fact that Chriss averages 6.9 fouls per 40 minutes, including a streak where he fouled out of six consecutive games. Also, he's averaging just 19.3 fantasy points per game away from home. Alright, enough with the problems. Chriss is among the most athletic wings in the nation and has fouled out in just one of his last three games; yes only one. Last time out at Utah he played 36 minutes that resulted in 39.25 fantasy points. Chriss may finally be learning how to stay on the court, and this could be attributed to his maturation and the fact that he's no longer trying to make the "hero play." His presence on the court is worth more than going for impossible blocks and steals that often end in fouls and his return to the bench, and that seems to finally be resonating with the talented freshman.
Tomasz Gielo, Mississippi ($5,000): It's been a bit of an up-and-down season for Gielo, but over his last three he is averaging 31.75 fantasy points per game. The versatile big man does a bit of everything, with the majority of his scoring coming from behind the arc. Arkansas plays at a quick pace and often runs a four-guard set, something that could work in Gielo's favor, as he'll have a considerable height advantage over the majority of the defenders that'll be tasked with guarding him.
Khadeem Lattin, Oklahoma ($5,800): In the excitement of the triple-overtime game last time, we remember Buddy Hield's 46 points, Spangler's 18 rebounds and Ellis' 27 points, along with countless other impressive stat lines. Lattin had 10 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, six blocks and one steal for 43.5 fantasy points. Obviously that included three overtimes worth of added minutes and production, but Lattin should not be judged only on his recent poor performances, as he posses plenty of upside on the boards and blocking shots.
