This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Saturday's slates on both sites are a little mixed, but there is some crossover between the FanDuel and DraftKings offerings, and we'll do our best to cover everything.
Slate Overview
Georgetown (-7.5) vs. UNC-Greensboro O/U: 140
Texas (-24) vs. McNeese State O/U: 132.5
Richmond (-6) vs. Boston College O/U: 142
Indiana (-17.5) vs. South Dakota State O/U: 148.5 (DraftKings only)
St. John's (-20) vs. Wagner O/U: 150.5 (FanDuel only)
Xavier (-17.5) vs. Lipscomb O/U: 134 (FanDuel only)
I'm going to focus on the three shared games, and then follow up on individual targets for each game that are exclusive to one site.
Top Players
Derryck Thornton, BC (DK $8,000, FD $6,600) at Richmond
Thornton's price is exceptional on FanDuel, which is a primary reason he gets my first mention. If any college player could be considered a journeyman, Thornton fits the bill, after stints at both Duke and USC before finally landing in Boston. His return to ACC conference play should turn a lot of heads when it gets underway, and he's aptly preparing for the challenge. While his three-point shot is still warming up, he's averaging a solid 30.1 FPPG in the early stages of the season.
Sha'markus Kennedy, McNeese State (DK $7,400, FD $7,100) at Texas
It's a lopsided spread, but Kennedy has performed well in the face of stiff competition more than once this season, and he's turned out a full stat line in every performance. The 6-foot-8 forward will consistently produce as a scorer and rebounder, and while the Longhorns are a significant challenge, they're currently one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. Kennedy could be in for a big line due to his play off the glass.
Matt Coleman, Texas (DK $7,100, FD $6,500) at McNeese State
The 6-2 junior has started every game for the Longhorns since his freshman debut, and although he was sometimes inconsistent last year, his floor has been remarkably high through six games of action. He's a deadly three-point threat when he's hot, and he's already put up a perfect 6-for-6 from long range against Georgetown last week. The Cowboys rank 394th in defensive three-point percentage, so Coleman should have ample opportunity to get open.
DraftKings Top Player
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana (DK $8,200) vs. South Dakota State
Jackson-Davis, who is coming off a 21-11 double-double against Louisiana Tech, offers plenty of upside every game. The 6-9 freshman has settled in right away in the Hoosiers' frontcourt and will be a critical component to Indiana's success this season. He's also logged plenty of minutes when the Hoosiers have been heavy favorites, so he's in no danger of losing usage in this lopsided game.
FanDuel Top Player
L.J. Figueroa, St. John's (FD $6,700) vs. Wagner
Although his production has been a bit up-and-down this season, his price still makes the 6-6 forward a reasonable value. He should straighten things out versus a weak Seahawks team.
Value Plays
Josh LeBlanc, Georgetown (DK $4,800, FD $4,500) vs. UNC-Greensboro
Leblanc is a major reason why I decided to not endorse Omer Yurtseven, especially considering the lopsided matchup. His return from suspension means that he'll quickly see more and more time off the bench, and he could see increased time if this game gets out of hand. He's an extremely capable rebounder, and those numbers should the core of his line on Saturday.
Jase Febres, Texas (DK $4,800, FD $4,400) @ McNeese State
Febres production relies heavily on his upside as a three-point threat. He already sees plenty of usage, so based on that potential alone, he's a reasonable value at his price. After two years in a reserve role, he now has a full-time role at the wing.
Nathan Cayo, Richmond (DK $5,200, FD $4,900) vs. Boston College
Cayo sets up as a good value play at home against Boston College. With a starting role in the frontcourt. Cayo has already shown the ability to pop with a 20-point showing against Vanderbilt.
DraftKings Value Play
Devonte Green, Indiana (DK $5,400) vs. South Dakota State
After returning from a hamstring injury, Indiana's presumptive sixth-man is already seeing his minutes increase and has settled back in with two 16-point performances as he gets 100 percent healthy. We should gradually see more production as the season continues and may even sneak in a matchup-based starting role. On Saturday, he could definitely see a minute increase in what could be a blowout game.
FanDuel Value Play
Rasheem Dunn, St. John's (FD $4,600) vs. Wagner
I think we've yet to see Dunn's true impact, as it's only been four games since he was granted a waiver to join the team. His minutes are hovering in the 25- minute range, and with the Red Storm heavily favored, it could be time to give Dunn an extended run.
Game to Target
Richmond vs. Boston College
We've already identified a couple of top plays from this game, but BC's Nik Popovic (DK $6,800, FD $6,100) and Richmond's Jacob Gilyard (DK $8,500, FD $7,500) are definitely worth a look. This game should end up being one of the most competitive games on the slate today.
Game to Fade
Xavier vs. Lipscomb
The game has the lowest O/U on the slate, and I don't see many salary advantages to be had by endorsing anyone in this matchup. As a FanDuel-only contest, it's a fairly easy fade to make. Lipscomb's Ahsan Asadullah (FD $7,200) is really the only target I can envision using.
