This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Eight games headline the DraftKings slate Tuesday with a $2.5k top prize to first place in the Big Jam, while FanDuel counters with a four-game contest awarding $1k in its All-American. As always, we'll start with today's implied totals before jumping into a list of plays from each salary tier.
Top Plays
Collin Gillespie, G, Villanova ($8,100 DK, $8,000 FD)
Syracuse has one of the worst defenses on the slate, ranking No. 155 in the country in terms of its adj. defensive efficiency rating. Given this info and the fact that Nova's offense is ranked fourth-best in the country per KenPom, it's probably a good idea to take a Wildcat. It's hard to go wrong, but I like Gillespie when most of the starters are being offered close to the same salary. The super senior point guard has built an impressive career, ranking top-five in assist rate among all Big East players during conference season in each of the past two years. Gillespie has always been a sharpshooter, and this year he's even better, having made 47 percent of his three-point field goals on 64 attempts. Gillespie is leading the team in minutes, points, and assists, a safe bet in what might be the highest-scoring game of the day.
Hunter Dickinson, F, Michigan ($7,400 DK, $8,300 FD)
Nebraska enters the contest as one of the worst rebounding teams in the country, welcome news for Hunter Dickinson, who easily leads the Wolverines in both usage rate and rebounds. Last year, Dickinson ranked top-six in terms of both offensive and defensive rebounding rates among all Big Ten players during conference play, in addition to recording the fifth-highest blocking rate in the conference. Dickinson established himself as a big-time player last year and has mostly picked up where he left off, now ranking No. 10 in KenPom's official Player of the Year Standings. Michigan has a pretty easy matchup today, with Nebraska ranking bottom-three in the conference in terms of its adj. efficiency rating, per KenPom. Coming off his best game of the year, Dickinson offers high-upside in a favorable matchup.
Middle Tier
Christian Braun, G, Kansas ($6,600 DK)
Kansas boasts the third-highest adjusted offensive efficiency rating in the country, so it's no surprise it has the highest projected point total on today's slate (and it's not close). Today shouldn't be too challenging considering the matchup. UTEP doesn't have a bad defense, but its current adj. efficiency rating is well below any Big 12 team. Any of the starting Jayhawks have a chance at paying dividends, but I like Braun at this salary because he does a bit of everything while staying involved. He's currently leading the team in rebounds and steals while ranking second in points, minutes, blocks, and assists. All in all, Braun offers a lot of potential at a reasonable salary.
Jordan Goldwire, G, Oklahoma ($5,500 DK, $5,700 FD)
As a team, Oklahoma is making 60.9 percent of its two-point shot attempts, the second-highest rate in the country. This is noteworthy because Butler's defense is allowing opponents to make 51.3 percent of two-point attempts, ranking bottom-third in the country, suggesting a soft interior defense. Goldwire has attempted the second-most two-point field goals on the team this season, giving him a potential edge in this matchup. On the other side of the court, Butler is turning the ball over on offense at the ninth-highest rate in the country, not a great sign going against a team that's been well above average at causing turnovers on defense. Last season, while at Duke, Jordan Goldwire logged the third-highest steal rate among all ACC players during conference play, so I'm thinking he might snag a few extra steals. Goldwire might not lead the team in scoring today, but he should be able to collect enough stats to provide some value at his current salary.
Value Plays
Jesse Edwards, F, Syracuse ($4,700 DK, $8,200 FD)
Not sure what DraftKings is thinking, but Edwards has been on a tear lately and he's arguably a must-start on their platform. Edwards has played 30-plus minutes in each of the past four games, after not having reached that mark in any of the previous games this season. Always a threat to score, Edwards has the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating in the country among all players. Edwards has won KenPom's official "MVP" award in three of the past four games while scoring double-figures in each contest. He might not be as assertive as other players on the team, but Edwards will no doubt make the most of all of his touches in this contest.
Dameane Douglas, G/F, Loyola Marymount ($4,500 DK)
Douglas was recently inserted into the starting lineup three games ago and has been heating up ever since. It appears his salary is still affected by his limited playing time earlier in the year, but Douglas has scored double figures in four games straight now, so he's offering a great opportunity at today's cost. Now in a starting role, Douglas is using 24 percent of his team's possessions when on the court, the second-highest among starters. Considering the matchup against Tulsa, Douglas shouldn't have any trouble providing a nice return in today's contest.
