This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Tonight's DFS slate is a large one for a Friday with eight games on tap, including three top-15 teams in action. The featured contest on DraftKings is the $10 Big Jam with a $2,500 top prize, while FanDuel has its $5.55 All American and a $1,000 first-place payout.
Top Players
Alex Barcello, G, BYU ($8,700 DK, $7,400 FD)
Barcello is the heart and soul of this BYU squad, and it's going to rely heavily on him this season without Brandon Averette and Matt Haarms. The Cougars have three new starters this season, two of which are unproven and don't figure to be much of a factor in the offense. Barcello is a stat-stuffer, having averaged over four boards and assists per game to go along with his 16 ppg last season, and he posted 24 in the season opener. I don't expect him to come off the floor much in what should be a tightly contested battle against San Diego St.
Jahvon Quinerly, G, Alabama ($7,500 DK, $6,000 FD)
Quinerly emerged as Alabama's best player late in the season during the conference and NCAA Tournaments, providing a spark off the bench as the team's sixth man. He's now in a starting role this year, and although he only logged nine points in the opener, it was a blowout 29-point victory. The Tide will get a tougher test in a South Dakota State team that is projected to win the Summit, and this should be a great matchup for Quinerly against a fast-paced team that isn't known for its defensive prowess.
Middle Tier
Douglas Wilson, F, South Dakota St. ($6,800 DK, $7,800 FD)
Wilson is one of the best mid-major players in the country and will get his chance to shine against a top-25 opponent in Alabama. It's the highest over/under on today's slate, so he should have plenty of scoring opportunities -- something he's done a lot of in his career, averaging over 16 ppg in each of his two seasons for the Jackrabbits. With a 33-percent usage rate last season, he's surprisingly only priced in the middle tier and provides a rare $1,000 discount compared to FanDuel.
Tyler Stevenson, F, Southern Mississippi ($6,400 DK)
The Southern Miss/Louisiana game could be a good one to target in GPPs tonight as the least notable game on the slate. The Golden Eagles are led by their senior post player who averaged 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds last season. While those numbers provide a great floor for the 6k range, he also provides tremendous upside having recorded four double-doubles and four 25+ point scoring games last season.
Values
Jaylen Butz, F, Western Kentucky ($4,800 DK)
With Keith Williams still waiting on his waiver after transferring from Cincinnati, where he led the team in scoring, there's value to be had on the Western Kentucky side tonight. Butz started and played 28 minutes in his first start after transferring from DePaul, and the fifth-year senior provides stability in the paint. He's a rare sub-5k option that is capable of posting a double-double. Josh Anderson ($6,600) is another target for the Hilltoppers, having played all 40-minutes in the opener.
Kahliel Spear, F, Robert Morris ($4,600 DK)
Spear stands out in the price range when it comes to fantasy points per minute -- averaging .95 FPPM last season -- and logged 28 minutes in Robert Morris' season opener. His efficiency plays a big role in those numbers, as he shot 55 percent from the floor last season while also averaging a block and a steal per game. Spear finished last season with 15+ points in four of his final nine games, and his ability to contribute across the stat-sheet gives him a nice floor to outproduce his salary.
