This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Top Players
Mark Williams, F, Duke ($7,000 DK, $7,400 FD)
Duke is loaded this year, as everyone knows, so I'm making this pick solely based on the matchup. Ohio State is much weaker on defense compared to offense, and I'm expecting Mark Williams to take advantage, as he actually sports the highest offensive efficiency rating on the team. Additionally, Ohio State has been noticeably bad at securing defense rebounds this season, which is welcome news for Mark Williams because he's proven to be one of the best offensive rebounders this season, posting the 15th highest offensive rebounding rate in the country. And even more impressive, Williams is blocking shots at the seventh-highest rate in the country, which also works in his favor because Ohio State hasn't been particularly great at avoiding blocked shots. All in all, Williams should provide a steady stream of DFS points whenever he's on the court. He played a season-high 29 minutes against Gonzaga in his last game, so I'm expecting another productive outing.
Payton Willis, G, Minnesota ($6,700 DK, $6,700 FD)
Minnesota has the honor of matching up against the worst defense on the slate, according to KenPom's adj. efficiency ratings. Starting point guard Payton Willis has the highest offensive efficiency rating among starters while also using over a quarter of his team's possessions when on the court, a potent combination. Willis is new to the team but he's already asserted a leading role, as he demonstrated on Nov. 14 against Princeton when he scored 29 points in 45 minutes of a double-overtime victory. Considering Willis will play a pivotal role against a soft defense, he's a strong DFS option at a reasonable salary.
Middle Tier
Zach Edey, F, Purdue ($6,000 DK, $8,000 FD)
Purdue has the highest projected point total on today's slate, mostly due to its spectacular offense, which ranks number two in the country, per KenPom's adj. efficiency ratings. For this reason, the Boilermakers have several promising fantasy options, but I would submit Edey if you're playing on DraftKings. Zach Edey currently has the second-highest offensive efficiency rating in the entire country among all players that use at least 28 percent of possessions. His offensive skills are impressive across the board. He has the seventh-highest offensive rebounding rate in the country, draws 8.0 fouls per 40 minutes, the 12th-highest rate, and makes 85 percent of his free throws. On the other side of the court, Edey is arguably just as effective, blocking shots at the 40th highest rate in the country, while grabbing defensive rebounds at the 64th-best rate. Add everything up, and we have an elite player that's currently ranked number four on KenPom's official "Player of the Year" standings. (Note, If you're playing FanDuel, I might take Trevion Williams over Edey because the former is going for less on that site, and Williams has a similar chance at having an impressive game.)
Kyle Young, F, Ohio State ($5,800 DK, $6,200 FD)
Ohio State currently has the ninth-best offensive attack in the country, per KenPom, so the Buckeyes are usually a safe bet for scoring. They no doubt have a tough matchup today, but KenPom is still expecting them to score around 73 points, right in line with several other teams on the slate. In any event, Kyle Young will surely have a piece of the action for Ohio State today. The senior forward has been exceptionally efficient in each season with the Buckeyes, as shown last year when he finished with the highest offensive efficiency rating among all Big Ten players during conference play. Young started the season injured but has slowly recovered as the season's progressed. He's scored in double figures in each of the past three games, so it appears he's returning to form.
Value Plays
Xavier Johnson, G, Indiana ($5,100 DK, $6,800 FD)
Indiana is going up against the second-worst defense on the slate, per KenPom's adj. efficiency ratings, so it's not a bad idea to target a Hoosier or two. On DraftKings, Johnson has a shot at providing major value given his lower salary. Although new to the team, Johnson is effectively tied with Trayce Jackson-Davis for the highest usage rate on the team. The starting point guard has an excellent track record, recording the highest assist rate among all ACC players last season at Pittsburgh during conference play. He also posted a top-five assist rate among ACC players in each of his first two seasons as well, giving us little reason to doubt the point guard's abilities. Johnson's lower salary can likely be explained by Johnson's sporadic playing time early in the season, although Indiana had several blowouts against lower-level competition early in the season. Johnson, and the rest of the starters, should play in most of today's game considering the spread is a toss-up. I'm expecting Johnson to rack up assists in what should be a higher-scoring game.
Cliff Omoruyi, F, Rutgers ($4,600 DK, $6,900 FD)
Rutgers might not have the best offense on the slate, but it has a stout defense with excellent rebounding rates. Clemson holds an advantage in other areas, but rebounding and shot-blocking are two noticeable categories where Rutgers has an edge. I'm expecting Omoruyi to take advantage and tally a few extra boards given his size and skillset. Omoruyi has already logged one double-double this season while coming one rebound short of a double-double in a couple of other games. Omoruyi might not score 20 points tonight, but he should be able to do enough in other areas to provide value at such a low salary. (Note, on FanDuel, I'm not sure I'd consider Omoruyi given the inflated salary. Rutgers star Ron Harper isn't much more expensive than Omoruyi on FanDuel, so I'd probably take the former if you're all-in on Rutgers and playing on FanDuel.)
