This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
The college basketball Saturday slate loses some of its appeal without Zion Williamson. The good news is that his injury does not appear to be very serious and the dunking phenom could return as soon as next week. There are still plenty of intriguing games though, and they start early with Tennessee at LSU and Virginia at Louisville. We'll cover both of those games, as well as the game at the Carrier Dome which should carry a lot of emotion. Let's see if we can find you some winning options for Saturday.
Top Players
P.J. Washington, F, Kentucky vs. Auburn ($8,500 DK/$8,500 FD)
The Travis Reid injury is a big one for the Wildcats. The Stanford graduate transfer has not produced the same kind of numbers as he did as a member of the Cardinal, but he was a clear paint enforcer for Kentucky. The team will lean on Washington even more for scoring, and anyone who saw him dominate the Tennessee frontcourt should be excited. Washington has scored at least 15 points in his last nine games and may get more rebounding opportunities with Reid out.
Bruno Fernando, F, Maryland vs. Ohio State ($9,100 DK/$8,100 FD)
From a scoring perspective, Fernando's recent results have been underwhelming. The 6-10 sophomore has not topped 13 points in his last five games and had exactly 13 points in the Jan. 18 win over Ohio State. The Terps host the Buckeyes on Saturday and it could be a breakout scoring game for Fernando. The good news is that his rebounding has been consistent and he has at least eight boards in nine straight games with eight double-doubles in that span. Fernando can get to the free-throw line against Ohio State and is converting 76.6 percent from the charity stripe.
Jeremiah Martin, G, Memphis at Wichita State ($9,000 DK/$8,500 FD)
If you are looking for a player on a hot streak, you should definitely consider the 6-3 Martin. He is coming off a 43-point explosion against defenseless Tulane with eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals. Whew! In his last six games, he has averaged 29.7 points and had 41 points in the loss against South Florida on Feb. 2. Martin was held to 11 points Jan. 3, but he been very hot from the perimeter and the line. The Tiger senior is ending his career on an upswing.
Robert Franks, F, Washington State vs. Utah ($9,700 DK/$8,500 FD)
The last time the Cougars played the Utes, Franks did not play because of a hip injury. The 6-9 senior has played in the team's last 10 games and has actually been helping Washington State win. The team has won three of its last four games and Franks has averaged 25.0 points and 7.5 rebounds over that span. In the trip to Arizona, Franks hit 12 three-pointers in two games. He is going to be a handful for the Utes to defend.
Value Players
Elijah Mitrou-Long, G, Texas at Oklahoma ($4,300 DK/$3,700 FD)
The Longhorns' leading scorer, Kerwin Roach, was suspended for violating team rules. Someone is going to have to step in and take shots against the Sooners. Mitrou-Long has started for Texas previously this season, but has not been effective. He scored 15.0 points per game two years ago with Mount St. Mary's and shot significantly better. The 6-1 junior may be counted on to give coach Shaka Smart some offense.
E.J. Montgomery, F, Kentucky vs. Auburn ($4,400 DK/$4,100 FD)
With Reid out, Montgomery could finally get a heavy dose of minutes. The 6-11 freshman has showed intriguing skills on both ends of the court. He seems like a natural shot blocker who swats 1.0 shots in just 13.9 minutes. Montgomery also has decent touch around the rim and has good passing skills for a big player. He had a double-double Feb. 5 in the blowout win over South Carolina and it would not be surprising to see him get at least 10 points and 10 rebounds again against the Tigers.
Marcus Garrett, G, Kansas at Texas Tech ($5,400 DK/$5,300 FD)
The Jayhawks came into the season with a good amount of depth. The roster is being tested by attrition with Udoka Azuibuike and Lagerald Vick out. The good news is that Garrett should return from an ankle injury after missing the last five games. Garrett will be instrumental in the game as a defensive player against Jarrett Culver. His offensive game is inconsistent, but he could make Culver work on the other end by attacking the basket. David McCormack ($3,000 DK/$3,800) could be another bargain option for the Jayhawks.
Devonte Bandoo, G, Baylor vs. West Virginia ($4,500 DK/$5,100 FD)
Coach Scott Drew has had to look down his bench to find players and it seems like whoever he points to is able to produce. Bandoo has scored at least 10 points in three of his last four games, including 19 points in the win over Oklahoma on Feb. 11. The 6-3 junior is able to hit three-pointers in bunches and is hitting 38.7 percent of his long-range shots. King McClure is likely to miss his fourth straight game, so Bandoo should get shots up against the Mountaineers.
Games/Teams to Target
Tennessee (-1) at LSU (o/u 158.5), 12PM EST
There seemed to be a bit of a hangover for the Volunteers on Tuesday against Vanderbilt after they were brutalized by Kentucky last weekend. The bumps and bruises incurred against the Wildcats have had a week to heal, and the team should be ready to play a big game in the bayou. Grant Williams ($9,700 DK/$8,800 FD) and Admiral Schofield ($8,100 DK/$7,500 FD) are players with diverse skills, but Williams can get in foul trouble, particularly on the road. Jordan Bone ($7,400 DK/$6,900 FD) and Lamonte Turner ($5,800 DK/$5,500 FD) give the bigs perimeter support. Bone has only hit 5-of-18 three-pointers in his last five games, and Turner has scored in double digits in just two of his last five games. Tremont Waters ($9,000 DK/$8,300 FD) was held to 10 points and four assists in the overtime loss to Florida on Wednesday. The Volunteers will be physical with the 5-10 sophomore. Freshman forward Naz Reid ($6,800 DK/$7,000 FD) had 16 points and 15 rebounds against the Gators and should be ready to produce at home.
Georgetown (+5.5) at Creighton (o/u 158), 2:30PM EST
Despite having just 10 teams, the Big East manages to have a variety of tempos. Villnaova and Xavier play slowly. Creighton is somewhere in the middle, but coach Patrick Ewing has the Hoyas running and gunning. You might not expect Georgetown to play quickly with plodding big man Jessie Govan ($9,200 DK) in the middle of the offense. The Hoya center had an offensive downturn over a four-game span, but that ended against Seton Hall on Feb. 13 when he had 20 points. Govan helped Georgetown get a rare win over Villanova on Wednesday with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He had 22 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to the Bluejays on Jan. 21. The freshmen backcourt of James Akinjo ($6,600 DK) and Mac McClung ($6,300 DK) are not afraid to let shots fly. McClung has sandwiched a pair of 21-point games around a three-point stinker against Seton Hall. Akinjo is in a shooting slump in which he has only hit 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from the field in the last three games. The Bluejays snapped a four-game losing streak Wednesday against DePaul. Creighton had held the lead at the last TV timeout in each of the last four games. Martin Krampelj ($7,900 DK) is a solid low-post option. He has scored in double digits in every game since the Bluejays played the Hoyas. Ty-Shon Alexander ($7,600 DK) is able to heat up quickly and had a really sweet stretch in the second half of the loss to Seton Hall last Sunday. He led Creighton with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the win over Georgetown.
Duke (-5) at Syracuse (o/u 142), 6PM EST
The over/under on this contest may not make it a natural game to target, but there are plenty of reasons to take another look at the options here. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was involved in a car accident that resulted in a fatality. He will be coaching with a lot of emotion and the Orange already have a win over Duke this season. The Blue Devils played without Cam Reddish ($7,300 DK/$12,000 FD) and lost Tre Jones ($6,700 DK/$11,000 FD) during the game. Reddish will finally get a chance to get more offensive opportunities and has scored at least 20 points in three of his last four games. He has hit at least four three-pointers in four of his last five games. Of course, R.J. Barrett ($10,400 DK/$14,500 FD) will get his shots up. Even with Zion on the court, Barrett was not shy about scoring. He was just 8-of-30 from the field in the home loss to Syracuse, but finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists. Jack White ($4,600 DK/$8,000 FD) is a solid rebounder who should be a bargain. Oshae Brissett ($7,700 DK/$11,500 FD) has been mildly disappointing as a sophomore for the Orange. Like the rest of Syracuse, he is struggling from long range. Tyus Battle ($7,200 DK/$10,500 FD) and Elijah Hughes ($6,200 DK/$10,000 FD) shot well at Cameron Indoor. Battle has cooled off and had hit just two of his last 12 three-pointers. Hughes broke out of a slump in the win over Louisville with 18 points after scoring a combined 13 points in his previous two games.
Games/Teams to Consider Fading
Virginia (-5) at Louisville (o/u 123), 12PM EST
It's not a big surprise that Virginia is found in the Games to Fade section. Louisville does not play at the turtle's pace of the Cavaliers, but they are below average as well. The Cardinals have been in an offensive funk and only put up 49 points in the loss to Syracuse on Wednesday. They have scored just 105 points in the last two games since giving up a huge lead against Duke. Despite downturn in points, Jordan Nwora ($8,000 DK/$7,700 FD) has continued to score in double digits in his last 12 games. He has only hit 26.9 percent of his field goals and is 1-of-10 on three-pointers in the last two games, but could bounce back at home. Dwayne Sutton ($6,100 DK/$6,400 FD) has disappeared in the last two games with a combined nine points on 3-of-19 from the field. He should be faded. For Virginia, De'Andre Hunter ($7,000 DK/$8,200 FD) has become a threat from all over the court. In his last six games, the forward has hit 57.1 percent of his three-pointers. Long-range marksmanship is also expected from Kyle Guy ($6,700 DK/$7,300 FD) and Ty Jerome ($7,900 DK/$8,000 FD). Guy has scored at least 20 points with a combined 15 three-pointers in his last three games. Jerome missed a game with a back injury two weeks ago, but has provided 13.8 points and 6.0 assists in the four games since. He has also knocked down 60.0 percent of his three-pointers in that span.
Missouri (+11) at Florida (o/u 123.5), 4PM EST
The Gators remain the bane of fantasy teams. The team does not have a player scoring more than 12.9 points or getting more than 6.0 rebounds. Florida also play super slow, so it almost always best to move on. Granted, the prices for coach Mike White's players will be low and they have a good matchup against the Tigers. KeVaughn Allen ($6,200 DK) has scored in double digits in all but one conference game and had a team-high 21 points in the win over LSU on Wednesday. He can get hot from long range and had five three-pointers against those Tigers. Noah Locke ($4,900 DK) was held to a combined three points before putting up 15 points against LSU. Freshman Andrew Nembhard ($6,000 DK) leads the team with 5.4 assists and had 21 points against Alabama last Saturday. Jeremiah Tilmon ($5,800 DK) has always been productive when he is not in foul trouble. Sadly, he averages 3.5 fouls per game. Jordan Geist ($7,100 DK) has scored in double digits in eight straight games with multiple three-pointers in each contest.
Oklahoma State (+10.5) at Kansas State (o/u 124), 4PM EST
The Octagon of Doom is a place where offenses die. The Wildcats have the eighth best defensive efficiency, per KenPom. The good news for Kansas State is that Dean Wade ($7,700 DK) was not seriously hurt in the loss to Iowa State. He limped off the court and has a history of foot injuries, but he returned on Monday against West Virginia. If the Wildcats are whole, they should be tough to beat. Senior guard Barry Brown ($8,100 DK) is renowned for his defense. He has been shooting well with 44 points in his last two games. Brown also leads the team with 2.0 assists. Xavier Sneed ($6,500 DK) is hot and cold and has scored in double digits in every other game of his last five contests. He has 19 points in the win over the Mountaineers. Oklahoma State is coming off a win, but got just four points from leading scorer Cameron McGriff ($7,900 DK). Junior guard Thomas Dziagwa ($5,500 DK) has scored 23 points in his two most recent games. He will likely see Brown on defense.
