This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Are you ready?!? The first full day of March Madness is here and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better day in sports! DraftKings is offering a massive 16-game slate that features their largest college basketball contest of the season, with the $15 Tourney Tip Off and a $25k top prize up for grabs. Over on FanDuel, they are splitting the afternoon and evening games between two slates --with the $9 All-American and $10k going to the winner to tip things off.
Targets
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova ($9,000 DK)
Robinson-Earl is my top target among the highest priced players Friday, as he won't have to worry about limited minutes in the event of a blowout like several other players. With Collin Gillespie out, Robinson-Earl has recorded a 26-point game and a double-double, with his usage rating increasing from 24 percent on the season to 30 percent over those two games. It's also a great matchup against a Winthrop squad that plays a small lineup and led the Big South in tempo.
Moses Moody, G/F, Arkansas ($8,400 DK, $7,400 FD)
You won't find a higher over/under in the first round, with both teams looking to push the pace. Colgate won't put up much of a fight defensively and has really struggled to defend the interior with its small lineup. Over Moody's last six games, he's outperformed his salary all but once and has scored 28 points in three of his last four. It's also a single-digit line despite being a 3 vs. 14 matchup, so it's unlikely Moody will be on the bench much. All signs point to him having a great opportunity to be one of the highest scoring options on the slate.
Jose Alvarado, G, Georgia Tech ($7,800 DK, $7,300 FD)
With Moses Wright missing the game due to injury, Alvarado becomes a great second-tier target, as he's likely to play all 40 minutes and should see also see an increased usage rate. He's been as efficient as they come this season with shooting splits of 59/39/85. Ownership percentage may also be low as people are likely to wary of the Loyola Chicago defense, but Alvarado has been near matchup proof this season and had one of his best fantasy games against arguably the best defense in the ACC in North Carolina.
Justin Gorham, F, Houston ($7,300 DK)
It's easy to forget about Gorham with all the talent Houston has on their roster, but he's quietly been one of their most efficient options at 50 percent shooting. Gorham should have plenty of rebounding opportunities in a great matchup against a Cleveland State team that has struggled offensively and may not reach the 60s. He's already posted four games this season with at least 15 rebounds and is a likely double-double candidate.
D'Mitrik Trice, G, Wisconsin ($6,700 DK)
It will be interesting to see if the Badgers decide to start both Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter against a two-big Tar Heel lineup that would boost both of their values. Either way, Trice is my preferred choice in this game, as UNC has struggled to defend the perimeter, and he provides a high ceiling with three 25+ point scoring games during Big Ten action. He's also likely to see an increase in minutes over his season average in a crucial game -- often playing 37-38 minutes when it matters the most.
Andre Curbelo, G, Illinois ($6,100 DK, $5,300 FD)
Curbelo has emerged for the Fighting Illini late in the season, and he's outperformed this salary in six of his last seven games. He's a great fantasy target and contributes across the stat-sheet, leading to a whopping .99 fantasy points per minute. It's hard to imagine he'll get much resistance against a Drexel team that made the tourney due to their offense. Even if this game gets out of hand, Curbelo should still see plenty of minutes as the team's sixth man.
Tre Gomillion, G, Cleveland St. ($5,300 DK)
Gomillion caught fire during the Horizon conference tournament with two 40+ point fantasy performances and has outperformed this salary in his last four games. That makes him a great lineup filler at a below-average salary with a high ceiling for GPPs. He's also not only reliant on scoring for his fantasy points, having posted two double-doubles in the last three games, and is also third on the team in assists.
Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, F, Oklahoma St. ($4,600 DK)
Although Cade Cunningham gets most of the attention (and deservedly so), there's still value to be had for the Cowboys and Moncrieffe is a viable 20-point fantasy option with double-double potential at a modest salary. Liberty was able to roll through the Atlantic Sun thanks to a stellar offense, but they don't have the size to matchup with Oklahoma State and Moncrieffe should have no issues getting plenty of easy baskets.
Fades
Jared Butler, G, Baylor ($8,900 DK, $7,700 FD)
There's no denying how good Butler has been this season, but it's going to be difficult for him to live up to his salary with the game likely to get out of hand and cap his minutes. He'll need to make the most of them, as Hartford plays at a slow pace and ranks in the top-10 in the country in defensive three-point shooting percentage where Butler averages 2.6 makes per game. Mark Vital ($6,200 DK) is a likely double-double candidate on the Baylor side.
Warith Alatishe, F, Oregon St. ($7,600 DK, $7,100 FD)
It's a hefty price to pay for Alatishe, who has only scored 15 points once over his last eight games. He helps make up for it on the glass, but this will be a tough matchup overall against a Tennessee squad that ranks in the top-5 in defensive efficiency. Jared Lucas ($5,200 DK) can take advantage of the Vols' weaker perimeter defense and should be able to post similar production to Alatishe at a cheaper salary.
Javion Hamlet, G, North Texas ($6,900 DK)
In three non-conference games against teams that are single-digit seeds in the NCAA Tournament, Hamlet struggled, averaging just 11.3 points on 32 percent shooting. The Mean Green will take on a Purdue team that has been solid defensively and has size in the paint and lengthy guards and wings. With this being one of the lowest over/unders, I don't mind fading this game altogether on such a large slate.
Marek Dolezaj, F, Syracuse ($6,300 DK)
Dolezaj hasn't reached double-digit points in his last five games, which is no surprise considering the reports he's been playing with a broken finger. It's hard to imagine that trend will change against a stout interior San Diego State defense that's led by Nathan Mensah. He's been an afterthought in their offense with Syracuse's other four starters all being significant contributors. If you can find the additional salary, I'd rather pay-up for Buddy Boeheim ($7,200 DK), considering the Aztecs have had more issues defending the three than the paint.