This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Eight games are available for our choosing Tuesday evening, with a slightly earlier 6:30 p.m. EST tip, and we've got what's becoming a December standard of $2,000 available in the DraftKings main tournament.
It's an interesting slate of games to sort through. Two come with totals over 150 points, four have spreads of four points or less, while four come at double-digits. There's going to be no shortage of strategies Tuesday night with regards to which games should be targeted.
I loosely expect heavy usage in the Marquette-Providence game due to its tight spread and reasonable 145.5 point total, but it's not a game in which I feel we have to have shares. The other wild card on this slate is Western Carolina's Vonterius Woolbright. He's the most expensive option, but isn't priced like a Zach Edey and has been unstoppable. Vanderbilt is 294th in defensive efficiency, per KenPom, but also 305th in tempo. I'm all in on Woolbright personally, and it will be interesting to see how heavily rostered he is.
Top Players
Kel'el Ware, F, Indiana ($8,600)
Our optimizer isn't big on Ware here, so we'll see if the human angle outdoes the metrics. Ware has been a workhorse, playing 39 minutes against Kansas and proving his worth, but it's fair to question his need in this matchup against Morehead State. Nonetheless, he's scored in double digits in every game to date and has fewer than eight rebound just twice. That makes for a really safe floor play even if the ceiling isn't there. Morehead does have 7-footer Dieonte Miles to throw at Ware in the post, but he fouls almost as often as he scores, and Ware converts 72.2 percent of his freebies. We can't miss at the top of this slate, and Ware feels safe with some room for upside.
Reece Beekman, G, Virginia ($8,000)
I'm expecting Beekman to come with very low roster percentages, as Virginia's style usually has fantasy managers ignoring them. However, he's got a nice 26.1 percent usage rate over the last five and averages 32.25 DKP on the year, right at a 4x return. He's been under 30 DKP just twice all season, with a floor of 23.0 DKP. Yes, we need more than that at this price, and we should get it, as Memphis ranks 19th in tempo. Virginia will grind this, but the Tigers should find spurts. If they don't, it's because the Cavaliers are in control, which would only benefit Beekman.
Middle Tier
DJ Davis, G, Butler ($5,500)
Butler is a solid 11.5-point favorite, and the game comes with a 151 point total thanks to Georgetown's 196th-ranked defense. The Bulldogs should score 80 points here, and that sets Davis up to be a solid floor play, as he averages 28.1 minutes nightly. He's a double-digit scorer that isn't super efficient, but the volume is there, having taken at least seven shots in all but one game to date. Mix in his 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals, and there's a clear path to a 3x return at worst, while freeing up a potential third high-priced option.
Micah Handlogten, F, Florida ($5,300)
We're still getting a nice price discount here, and given my known preference for paying up at forward, Handlogten really appeals to me here. He's been priced as high as $6,200, and has shown a 41.5 DKP ceiling. The discount comes from an ankle injury, but he's seen 45 minutes across the Gators' last two games, which is more than enough to return at this number. 20 DKP is the expectation, so don't assume he'll be a monster and provide massive returns, but Handlogten gets a boost with the Gators expected to score 80+, so there can be a 5x ceiling.
Bargain Options
DJ Campbell ($4,400)/Russell Jones ($4,500), G, Western Carolina
For as much as I love Woolbright as a high-end option, the Catamounts have some value options. Both Campbell and Jones average 30 minutes nightly, and we can't ask for much more at this price point. That they are double-digit scorers, and we have a game with a narrow spread and solid 144.5 point total amplifies the appeal. Perhaps a slight lean towards Jones, who averages five 3-point attempts. Vanderbilt can't defend the arc, allowing a 40.8 percent connection rate, ranking 357th nationally.
Myles Stute, G, South Carolina ($4,100)
Stute is averaging 25.8 minutes for the Gamecocks, flirts with double-digits nightly and chips in on the glass; what more can we ask for at this price? Winthrop ranks 249th defensively, suggesting USC will find success. That Stute averages nearly four boards as well solidifies the floor.
