DFS College Basketball: Thursday Preview

DFS College Basketball: Thursday Preview

This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.

Today's hoops slate was ravaged by postponements, leaving us with an unusually small player pool. This means we're looking at a grand total of three games for DraftKings and just two games for FanDuel.

Targets

Evan Mobley, F, USC ($8,900 DK, $8,300 FD)

Mobley has been on a tear in his past three games, averaging over 44 fantasy points per game during his hot streak. The elite pro prospect has had several monster games this season, and there's no reason to believe Thursday won't be another one. Washington has struggled securing rebounds all season, and it also has the third worst defense in the Pac-12 in terms of adjusted efficiency. Mobley is the best player on the team with the highest projected point total on the slate. All signs are pointing toward another big game.

Race Thompson, F, Indiana ($6,400 DK, $6,800 FD)

The Purdue-Indiana matchup is mostly even, although Indiana stands out when it comes to blocking shots. The Hoosiers are blocking shots at the 17th best rate in the country while the Boilermakers have been susceptible to having their shots blocked on offense.  Thompson boasts the highest shot blocking rate on Indiana while also leading the team in terms of offensive efficiency rating. The other Hoosier that we can't ignore is Trayce Jackson-Davis ($9,700 DK, $8,600 FD), as he has the most blocks on the team and also happens to be one of the best players in the country. Jackson-Davis leads the team in usage rate and minutes, making him a pivotal player on a tiny slate of games. 

Robert Phinisee, G, Indiana ($5,100 DK, $5,200 FD)

The junior point guard has had an inconsistent season but seemingly found a rhythm in his past two games. This pick is partially connected to the status of Armaan Franklin, who's currently listed as questionable for Thursday's game. Franklin missed the past two games and the latest reports are indicating that he's not yet 100 percent. Phinisee returned to the starting lineup in Franklin's two-game absence and played relatively well, so I'm counting on Phinisee to have another productive game assuming Franklin misses the contest.

DraftKings Exclusive

Azuolas Tubelis, F, Arizona ($7,500)

Oregon State has the worst defense in the Pac-12 (along with Cal) and it's not close. This explains why Arizona is expected to score around 74 points tonight, making the Wildcats an obvious consideration if you're playing on DraftKings. Tubelis has established a high floor for himself, averaging over 28 fantasy points per game since entering the starting lineup six games ago. Arizona has a noticeable rebounding advantage over Oregon State, so I'm expecting Tubelis to have a big night on the glass. He also uses the most possessions on the team when on the court, so it's a safe bet he'll take a good number of shots. If you're looking for a value option, then I'd strongly recommend Jordan Brown ($5,200), as he's one of the two best rebounders on the team (along with Tubelis).

Fades

Eric Hunter Jr., G, Purdue ($5,700 DK, $5,500 FD)

Hunter has struggled scoring over the past few games and tonight's matchup won't make things any easier. Indiana's defense is currently ranked top-15 in the country per KenPom, so the Boilermakers will likely have their hands full. Hunter has the lowest offensive efficiency rating among Purdue starters and he's also shooting under 30 percent from behind the arc this season. All in all, there's not much reason for optimism when it comes to Hunter's fantasy prospects in tonight's game. 

Erik Stevenson, G, Washington ($6,400 DK, $4,200 FD)

This is an interesting scenario. Stevenson was quiet for most of the season up until his last game when he erupted for 35-plus fantasy points. DraftKings drastically adjusted his salary based on his most recent performance, while FanDuel is effectively ignoring it. I don't want to take anything away from Stevenson, but playing against Cal -- the worst defense in the Pac-12 -- probably helped his cause. Stevenson and the Huskies have a drastically different opponent in front of them, as USC enters the game with it's defense ranked No. 12 in the country in terms of defensive efficiency. I'm fading Stevenson on DraftKings given the higher salary, but he's not a bad flier on FanDuel if you think he'll stay hot following his last game.

Drew Peterson, G, USC ($7,600 DK, $6,000 FD)

Here we have another key salary split. Peterson is on a nice run over his last four games and DraftKings finally adjusted. The higher salary on DK makes me nervous, but FanDuel still isn't buying into Peterson's recent run, so there's potentially value on that side if you think Peterson can keep it going. Assuming Ethan Anderson ($4,300 DK, $4,600 FD) misses another game, I'd rather take a chance on Tahj Eaddy ($5,800 DK, $5,600 FD) or Isaiah white ($5,900 DK, $4,800 FD), as they've also proven they're capable of productive games. Another option in this game is Washington's primary player Quade Green ($7,100 DK, $6,700 FD), as he actually has a lower salary than Peterson on DraftKings. Green has been the most consistent fantasy performer for Washington this season, so he's a good option if you think this game will turn into a back-and-forth high scoring affair.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Steve Peralta plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Buddusky, DraftKings: Buddusky24.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steve Peralta
Graduated from USC in 2012 while interning for ESPN and FOX Sports. Following graduation, I started working full-time for FOX Sports and been there ever since. Been an avid fantasy player for over fifteen years. In addition to my fantasy teams, you'll also find me rooting for the USC Trojans and New York Yankees.
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