College basketball season is finally upon us, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for DFS grinders. Examining the slate for Jan. 23, a number of core plays stand out. In this piece I’ll be locating top plays from each college basketball matchup and determining the top CBB DFS picks for your DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
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CBB DFS Picks: DraftKings + FanDuel Core Plays | Jan. 23
Studs Tier
Sharife Cooper ($9,200) –Â Playing in the highest-totaled game on the slate, Cooper has scored at least 26 DraftKings points in all three games this year. Initially ineligible, Cooper has eclipsed 30 minutes in each of Auburn’s past four games. The stud freshman handles an absurd 29.9% usage rate, which includes a 30% shot rate and 60% assist rate in Auburn’s last three games. Today, Cooper and the Auburn Tigers draw a pace-up spot against a South Carolina team that dropped two straight games. South Carolina continues to deal with COVID-19 absences, making Cooper an elite player to target again today.
Jared Butler ($8,700) –Â Baylor enters today’s slate of games with the highest implied team total (77.75) as they prepare to battle Oklahoma State. Butler has played at least 31 minutes in three straight games and functions as the team’s primary ball-handler. Butler has a 26% shot rate and a 40.5% assist rate over Baylor’s last three contests. Oklahoma State plays solid defense overall, but they rank 148th in 3-point defense. Butler has 24 3-point attempts in Baylor’s last three games, which doubles any other player on the team. Playing in anther up-tempo spot with a high total, Butler deserves consideration among the expensive tier today.
Jalen Johnson ($7,600) –Â Jumping over $1,000 in salary from his mid-week performance, Johnson looks fully recovered from his mid-season injury. Johnson came off the bench, but he played 33 minutes. Johnson also scored 25 points and secured 15 rebounds, displaying the elite talent most expected to see earlier in the year. Even in a tougher matchup against Louisville, DraftKings did not raise Johnson’s price enough heading into this matchup. Offering a bit of salary savings, Johnson provides a similar ceiling to players in the $9k range on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Mid-Priced Tier
Tyrese Martin ($7,200) –Â With James Bouknight expected to miss at least a month with an elbow injury, Connecticut has reduced its starting rotation. Soaking up most of the usage, Martin looks like a strong mid-priced value without Bouknight. Since the injury, Martin has handled 20% of the team’s shots and 21% of the team’s rebounds in their last three games. Martin has also played 37 minutes in two-straight games, setting up the potential for an elite DFS score. Creighton remains a tougher matchup, but Martin’s elite usage warrants consideration.
David Johnson ($6,200) –Â Facing off against an improving Duke team, Louisville likely continues to funnel most of their usage through Carlik Jones and Johnson. Similar to Jones, Johnson has at least 34 minutes in each of Louisville’s last two games. On the year, he has handled 15% of the shots, 19% of the rebounds, and 33% of the team’s assists. Johnson has only eclipsed 25 DraftKings points once in his last four outings, driving down his price. However, he bested 30 in his three prior matchups, creating a buy-low situation .
Marek Dolezaj ($5,500) – Another game with a solid total, Syracuse enters a matchup against Virginia Tech favored by 2-points and totaled at 140.5. Primarily a peripheral player, Dolezaj offers a cheap attachment to a strong Syracuse offense. Dolezaj holds an 11.4% usage rate, but most of that comes via his 14% rebound rate and 20% assist rate. Positively, Dolezaj plays nearly every minute for Syracuse, creating enough upside to target in the mid-range.
Value Tier
Gabe Kalscheur ($4,700) –Â Primarily a shooter for Minnesota, Kalscheur continues to find himself priced below $5,000. Playing above 30 minutes in each of his last three games, Kalscheur actually possesses a solid 15% usage rate. His 15% shot rate drives his overall usage, but that also creates upside within Minnesota’s offense. Today, he faces a Maryland defense that ranks 287th in three-point defense. Kalscheur ranks only behind stud Marcus Carr in 3-point attempts in Minnesota’s last three games.
CJ Walker ($4,300) –Â After missing multiple games with a hand injury, Walker finally receiver clearance this week. The Ohio State coaching staff said that Walker “could” play today trying to keep his status vague. However, they face a strong Wisconsin team in a hyper-competitive Big Ten environment. Before the injury limited him in a few games, Walker played at least 30 minutes per game in each of Ohio State’s first four games. While the usage rate won’t lead the team, finding a player with 35 minute upside at $4,300 looks like a worthwhile endeavor.
Nate Reuvers ($4,200) –Â On the other side of that matchup, Wisconsin continues to shake up their starting lineup. While they generally rotate seven player for most of their minutes, Micah Potter recently saw him minutes dip below 20. In his place, the Badgers used Tyler Wahl and Nate Reuvers. While Wahl has played more, Reuvers actually remains playable at a discounted $4,200 price tag. Reuvers received 22 minutes in Wisconsin’s last game and scored 18.25 DraftKings’ points. As a complete punt play, Reuver’s efficiency provides enough salary relief to target multiple expensive studs.
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