College basketball season is in full swing, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for CBB DFS grinders. Examining the college basketball DFS slate for Jan. 31, a number of core plays stand out. This piece will locate the plays from each college basketball matchup and determine the top CBB DFS picks for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
If you’re looking to take your game to the next level, be sure to check out our daily CBB projections and Matt Gajewski’s daily college basketball breakdown over at the Awesemo College Basketball page.
CBB DFS Picks: DraftKings & FanDuel Fantasy Basketball
Studs
Keegan Murray ($9,500) — The premier player on a strong stars-and-scrubs DFS slate, Keegan Murray stands out with his 24% usage rate. Iowa enters this game against Penn State as a 3.5-point favorite in a game with a 140-point total. Murray continues to dominate usage for Iowa, with a 22.3% shot rate and 21.8% rebound rate on the year. While Iowa subscribes to the two-foul auto-benching in the first half, Murray has the upside to play every minute without foul trouble. Penn State ranks 215th in defensive efficiency and 151st in rebounding defense, setting up Murray for an elite spot here.
David Roddy ($9,200) — Coming off a middling performance with 13 points and eight rebounds, Colorado State’s David Roddy stands out as a buy-low. Colorado State continues to take money in the betting markets as a 1-point road favorite over Wyoming in a game with a strong 146-point total. On the year Roddy has a 20.1% usage rate while playing nearly every minute. Interestingly, teammate Isaiah Stevens actually has the higher usage rate at 21.2%. However, Roddy provides more consistency across statistical categories with his 20.9% shot rate, 23.6% rebound rate and 19.7% assist rate. Wyoming’s defensive weakness is inside with their 180th-ranked interior and 157th-ranked rebounding. In GPPs Roddy is a buy-low.
Hunter Maldonado ($8,700) — On the other side of the Colorado State game, Wyoming plays with two pure alphas in Graham Ike and Hunter Maldonado. On the year Maldonado leads the team with a 21.2% usage rate and has a 21.2% shot rate, 15.2% rebound rate and 51.1% assist rate. Colorado State ranks 133rd in defensive efficiency, setting up the Cowboys for a productive game across the board. Maldonado specifically has played 40, 40 and 38 minutes in Wyoming’s last three games. Slightly cheaper than the studs at the top, Maldonado provides just as much upside.
Wendell Moore ($7,500) — This is another one of the better game environments on the slate, with Duke a 5-point favorite over Notre Dame in a game with a 143.5-point total. Looking at Duke’s offense, Wendell Moore presents a buying opportunity after scoring just 38 combined points in Duke’s last three games. Unlike some of the other studs on this slate, Moore plays just about every minute. In Duke’s last three games he played 38, 40 and 36 minutes, contributing a 16.9% shot rate, 12.9% rebound rate and 24.1% assist rate. He is cheaper than the other studs as well, so Moore easily slides into a variety of lineup constructions.
Mid-Range
Mike Miles ($6,500) — TCU is a 6-point underdog to Oklahoma in a game with a 127.5-point total, making it one of the least appealing games on the slate. Fresh off an upset victory over LSU, TCU still is not commanding any respect in the betting markets or in terms of DFS pricing. Studs Mike Miles and Damion Baugh both are priced below $7,000 here. Miles has played 36, 35 and 32 minutes in TCU’s last three games, maximizing his 21.8% usage rate. Baugh also plays nearly every minute for this squad, but his 14.6% usage rate lags behind Miles’. Miles also has consistent production across categories, including a 21.9% shot rate, 9.4% rebounding rate and 27.8% assist rate in TCU’s last three games. Even in a poor game environment, Miles’ pure usage is worth looking at here.
Adam Flagler ($6,300) — After a blowout loss at the hands of Alabama, Baylor will look for a rebound victory as a 14-point favorite over West Virginia in a game with a 137-point total. Baylor has battled injuries at multiple points this year, and the latest victim was L.J. Cryer. Missing the Alabama game, the short turnaround does not bode well for Cryer here. Adam Flagler is already playing consistent minutes and looks like a potential beneficiary in terms of usage. He has played 34, 30 and 31 minutes in three straight games, maximizing his 18.6% usage rate. With his recent minute consistency, Flagler has a 22.6% shot rate and 20.5% assist rate in Baylor’s last three games. He is underpriced for this matchup and looks like a strong mid-priced option.
Jeremy Sochan ($5,300) — Alongside Flagler, Jeremy Sochan is another player who could benefit from a narrowed rotation for Baylor. Sochan recently returned from injury himself, playing 32 and 20 minutes in his first two games back. Sochan only has a 14% usage rate this year, but he showed strong involvement in his return to the floor. Against Alabama Sochan scored 17 points and secured eight rebounds while coming off the bench. Sochan has only started one game this year, but Flo Thamba is only a nominal starter. Thamba will play his 15 minutes without upside for more. Sochan is far more involved as the sixth man, making him one of the better targets on the team.
Value Plays
Kendle Moore ($4,900) — For those looking at cheaper attachments to the Colorado State – Wyoming game, Kendle Moore has taken on a larger role of late. Colorado State continues to deal with the injury bug, losing Adam Thistlewood and forcing John Tonje to play through a meniscus tear. This has opened increased usage for some of the Colorado State peripheral players. Moore has now played 26, 32 and 25 minutes in three straight games. In this span all of his major rates have increased. This now includes a 10.6% shot rate, 10.8% rebound rate and 17.1% assist rate. While Colorado State’s wide rotation is a slight concern, Moore appears to have carved out a solid role for himself.
A.J. Griffin ($4,700) — A.J. Griffin has worked his way into a sizeable role for the Blue Devils this year. Griffin has now played 34, 22 and 30 minutes in Duke’s last three games. His rates have increased alongside his minutes, as he is now up to 14.5% usage. In the last three Griffin has a 16.4% shot rate and 11.2% rebound rate. Fresh off a 22-point performance over the weekend, Griffin should be a more involved piece of the Duke offense moving forward.
Sean McNeil ($4,600) — On the other side of this Baylor game, West Virginia has their work cut out for them as a 14-point underdog. None the West Virginia players are above $6,200. On the year most of the Mountaineers’ usage flows through Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil. McNeil is far cheaper than Sherman at $4,600. On the year McNeil has a 14.8% usage rate, but he plays every minute. In West Virginia’s last three games McNeil has played 32, 38 and 37 minutes, contributing a 14.6% shot rate and 22.7% assist rate. While risky due to poor game environment, McNeil’s involvement warrants consideration in game stacks here.
Brendan Wenzel ($3,900) — Another cheaper attachment to the Colorado State – Wyoming game, Brendan Wenzel has played 37, 36 and 32 minutes for Wyoming in their last three games. Wenzel has an abysmal 8.5% usage rate this year, but he has recently gotten more involved. In that span his shot rate has risen from 6.9% to 10.9%. His rebound rate has also jumped from 7% to 13.7%. While still largely uninvolved, Wenzel’s pure minutes upside could be enough in the value range today.
Jacob Groves ($3,100) — Fresh off a blowout loss against Auburn, Oklahoma will look to rebound here against surging TCU. Interestingly, Oklahoma continues to mess with their rotation nearly 20 games into the season. The Sooners recently benched Elijah Harkless, inserting Jacob Groves into the starting lineup. Groves has now played 26 minutes in back-to-back games since entering the starting lineup. Groves has played fairly well, scoring 18 points and securing nine rebounds in his time on the floor. Oklahoma plays a wide rotation, and Harkless could re-enter the starting lineup at any point. This makes Groves a better play in GPPs, but if he hits 26 minutes again, he will be one of the better value plays on the slate.
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