This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Wednesday's main slate at DraftKings is a rather large eight-gamer, going off at a more traditional 8:00 p.m. EST, with four games doubling over into their evening contest. There are bigger names in more competitive spots than Tuesday's slates, and lots of points are expected, with five of the seven games that have lines as of Tuesday evening all sporting totals north of 140 points. There are five players priced at $8,900 or above as well -- a pretty large number that if you're considering using will require some deep dives down to balance your budget.
Lets see if we can sort through this big slate to highlight the right games, and players, to target!
Top Tier
Jaime Jaquez, G/F, UCLA ($8,400)
Jaquez has shown 40+ DKP upside and comes at a slight discount to the slate's top priced options. This game is essentially a pick em, which should lead to minutes, and Jaquez also offers position flexibility. Neither team play fast and both are in the top-30 in defensive efficiency, so Jaquez likely doesn't profile as a popular pay-down from the elite players, but with 30-35 minutes, we should be able to bank on a DKP per minute with low usage.
Dae Dae Grant, G, Duquesne ($7,400)
This game has a one-point spread and a total around 148, so it should be one to target frequently and confidently. I'm a tad skeptical of that, with Duquesne sitting at 248th in tempo, and DePaul 123rd, but oddsmakers are darn good at their job. If we trust that setup, how do we not trust Grant. He's got the green light at any point, having taken 100 shots across the Dukes last eight games. Sure, he isn't connecting too often, and that's reflected in a slightly discounted price. Volume leads to a floor when unsuccessful and a ceiling when a few more shots fall.
Middle Tier
Joel Murray, G, Long Beach State ($6,700)
With multiple high-scoring games possible, and tight spreads, this is definitely a slate where I prefer balance as opposed to a stars-and-scrubs approach. LBST is one of the few teams not projected to score 70 points, so perhaps this isn't for everyone, but he profiles more favorably than Grant above if we take out expected pace. Murray simply hoists whenever he can, taking 13.7 shots nightly. He is a capable rebounder and distributor, and the mid-tier price point means we need stability, not huge upside. He seems to have both.
Emmanuel Akot, G, Western Kentucky ($5,500)
Akot brings a 22.0 percent usage rate to the table, not a huge number but still second on the team. He's also the fourth-highest priced option, which doesn't reconcile. Even if the usage rates haven't caught up, Akot is the third option presented here that's simply shooting whenever they can. Akot has taken 36 shots across the Hilltoppers last three games. If a few go in and he again plays 30+ minutes, he'll stumble his way into peripheral stats and an ample return on this number against a winless Louisville.
Value Tier
Dwight Wilson, F, Ohio ($5,300)
Wilson is averaging 12.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg while leading the Bobcats with a 25.9 percent usage rate. You'd expect him to struggle against Power 5 Florida, and he very may will, especially if he's over-aggressive defensively and lands in foul trouble But at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds, he should be up to the task, even if asked to battle Colin Castleton. The price point is so low for a guy averaging a double-double -- to a point where we can cut his production in half and still be comfortable throwing Wilson in at the back end of builds.
Meechie Johnson, G, South Carolina ($5,300)
I was on Johnson early in the season unsuccessfully, but he's surging over the Gamecocks last two games, and the price hasn't caught up. Against Georgetown and Presbyterian, Johnson is a combined 12-for-30, an underwhelming success rate, scoring 33 points while adding 10 boards, 12 assists and two steals. USC is certainly rebuilding, but I'm not sure I buy this game being a nearly 20-point differential. I do buy UAB's tempo and lack of defense. Johnson should be a lock for 4x as a result of those, and if they keep it close, the sky is the limit.
