This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
CBB DFS Picks & Preview: Best Plays for Sunday's NCAA Tournament Elite 8
Another $10,000 first-place prize is up for grabs in Sunday's main slate at DraftKings, and we tip off mid-afternoon at 2:20 EDT. Every slate is different, but we can try to learn from yesterday. The contest I entered, Cooper Flagg was rostered on 82 percent of teams. The winning roster didn't have a player priced north of $8,200, and was built from balance.
That's going to be interesting to track Sunday, as Auburn's Johni Broome is $10,200, and the next closest is at $8,700. Both of last night's games also came with higher scoring expectancy than either game today, and Tennessee -- Houston isn't expecting either side to get out of the 60s. Can we completely ignore that game and build strictly from Auburn - Michigan State? That seems unlikely. Get creative and uncomfortable.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, player performance and the transfer portal, head RotoWire's latest college basketball news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.
CBB DFS Top Targets
Johni Broome, F, Auburn ($10,200)
This is the choice you'll have to make for yourself. Unlike Saturday where there were ample star options, Broome is far and away the slate's best player, has the most upside and is in a matchup where his opponent doesn't seem to have a great option to defend him. Use him assuming everyone else does, or don't use him, hope he doesn't go for 40 fantasy points and seek those out elsewhere. The struggle for me is I don't see where you're getting those points from someone else. Michigan State's rotation is deep, and scoring will be low in the other game, making the high-end options far less appealing. Broome seems like a necessary evil.
L.J. Cryer, G, Houston ($7,100)
Cryer was awful Friday, going 2-for-13 from the floor, but it's resulted in a decreased price and hopefully less appeal. He's taken double-digit shots in nine straight, earning a 25.2 percent usage rate. He's not much more than a scorer, averaging 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in that stretch, which isn't normally the type of player we want to pay for. But on this slate, he's one of few capable of going off in the scoring column and shooting his way to a 4x or better return.
Try our College Basketball DFS Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool and generate up to 150 lineups.
Middle Tier
Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston ($5,800)
A strategy I'm flirting with involves using Broome, and stacking the Cougars around him, as they aren't overly deep or expensive, and we could get 60 percent of their game production as a result. Sharp has a 26.4 percent usage rate over his last six, averaging 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals. That's better than Cryer and at a far cheaper price where we can worry less about his peripheral production. The same strategy can be applied to Michigan State's lineup, as you can easily get four pieces of their puzzle for an average price.
Felix Okpara, F, Tennessee ($5,600)
Low-scoring games don't necessarily mean bad shooting, but rather slow pace and limited possessions, which will make Okpara a touch risky as we're shooting for rebounds here. Over the last five games, he's averaged 29.4 minutes, a slight uptick on his season-long numbers, posting 5.0 points, 7.4 boards and 1.2 blocks. The usage rate is non-existent, under 10 percent, so again, we hope for missed shots during heavy playing time, rebounds and blocks.
CBB DFS Value Plays
Dylan Cardwell, F, Auburn ($4,600)
Cardwell is the opposite of Cryer and Sharp; he doesn't score at all, averaging 4.9 points despite his role as a starter. He's a glue guy, capable of chipping in across the board, which results in him flirting with 20 fantasy points night in and night out. Personally, I'd enjoy ignoring the sub-$5,000 priced options here, but you'll likely need one if you're rostering Broome. It's just a really difficult slate to find an ideal path to success.
Carson Cooper, F, Michigan State ($4,200)
Cooper is simply the only player in Michigan State's rotation that qualifies as a bargain, under $5,000. He's reached at least 13.75 DKP in six straight, averaging 5.7 points and 7.8 rebounds across 20.3 minutes and should see steady run as the Spartans need his size to combat Auburn's bigger frontcourt.
Take advantage of the best March Madness betting promos to maximize your potential earnings in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
