This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Sunday brings a six game main slate on DraftKings, hosting their $10 Big Jam Contest with $3K up for grabs including $1K to first. The slate features two AP top-25 BIG 10 teams in Ohio State and Wisconsin. However, the Hofstra-James Madison matchup is a good one to target. Let's get on to the action.
Top Players
Johnny Davis, G/F, Wisconsin ($9,600 DK)
There isn't a wrong option when deciding between the big three on the slate. Trayce Jackson-Davis ($9,700) and E.J. Liddell ($9,500) are dominant players on good teams in favorable matchups. However, there may not be a better player in college basketball right now than Johnny Davis, and he's carried the Badgers up the rankings this past month. He was one rebound shy in the win over Purdue from having his third consecutive double-double. The Sophomore is averaging over 20 shots/game over his last four contests. He's averaging 22.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 34 minutes this season. Davis has taken over games recently, including a 68-DK point game against a strong Purdue team. Also, his usage rate is up to a massive 34.1 percent over his last ten games. His current hot streak is what gives him a slight edge over the other elite options Sunday.
Jalen Ray G, Hofstra ($7,500 DK)
This matchup flies under the radar compared to the more better known teams on the slate. This allows many players from both Hofstra and James Madison to be underpriced. In addition, this matchup has the highest implied point total of 149. Ray is averaging 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34 minutes this season. He's averaged just over 20 points over his last four contests, while posting at least 29.8 DK points. He will have plenty of opportunities for points as he's played 38 and 40 minutes in the last two games.
Middle Tier
Aaron Estrada, G, Hofstra ($6,200 DK)
Sticking with Hofstra, Estrada has consistently been one of the leading contributors in multiple categories all season. He's averaging 13.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 32 minutes. He has a 25.4 percent usage rate and was one point away from having double-doubles in two of his last three games. He's scored at least 41 DK points in four of his last six contests. Estrada is averaging over 5x value with his current salary.
Takal Molson, G, James Madison ($6,100 DK)
James Madison is a more balanced team than Hofstra, so there are less players that stand out. With that being said, Molson leads the Dukes in points (11.2), assists (2.7), and second in rebounds (5.3). Excluding the game against a much stronger Virginia team, he put up 30.5 and 52.3 DK points in December. They are one-point favorites in what should be a high-scoring game.
Value Plays
Keeshawn Barthelemy, G, Colorado ($5,800 DK)
Barthelemy is a solid cheap play, averaging 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists, and 21.4 DK points in 28 minutes this season. Colorado has one of the highest projected totals and the Buffaloes are 8.5-point favorites. Barthelemy averages closer to 25 DK points in games the Buffaloes win. He's coming off two double-digit scoring efforts in his last two games, including 30 DK points in his most recent performance.
Zach Cooks, G, Hofstra ($4,700 DK)
It's risky to play so many guys from one side, but DraftKings severely underpriced some of the Hofstra players. Cooks, along with Estrada and Ray are all capable of producing a bad game, however, they are averaging substantially more than what they're priced at. Despite being less than $5K, Cooks leads Hofstra in points (16.1) and usage rate (25.9 percent). He is coming off his worst performance of the season, scoring in single digits for the first time in 12 games. I'll take his season-long record over one bad game. He is averaging over 30 DK points/game, returning more than 6x value.
