This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
It's been a disapointing start to the DFS season with tournaments being minimal at best. I thought we bucked that trend last week, but that turned out to be a blip where there was no football. And daily college hoops is probably once again taking a back seat Saturday despite an impressive slate of games due to college football playoffs and NFL matchups. DraftKings lists an 11-game main slate tipping off at 12 p.m. EST, but we've only got 352 entries at $10 a pop with a $1,000 first-place prize. It's not sexy, though the odds aren't awful.
There's only one dud game in Clemson-Wake Forest with a point expectation of 133 with all others at least 143 and seven north of 150. Two players are in five-figures, which should be affordable as there appears to be plenty of value.
Top Players
Jamir Watkins, G, Florida State ($8,900)
The only complaint here is that the 6-foot-7 Watkins isn't forward-eligible, which would provide far more roster flexibility. But he's my preference to combat the higher-salaried options with similar upside. Over the last four games, Watkins has seen a 32.4 percent usage rate while averaging 35.0 minutes, 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks. He does it all, and only fouls will keep him from a dominant performance in a one-point spread.
Xaivian Lee, G, Princeton ($7,700)
The Tigers come with a 74.0 point expectancy and are only 4.5 point underdogs, something I'm slightly skeptical on. They rank 215th in tempo, per KenPom, and this one doesn't jump out to me as a barnburner as Rutgers is 70th and 105th defensively. But if we're trusting the lines, Lee is a $9,000 player who's severely undervalued. He's shown a 26.9 percent usage rate across his last six while averaging 16.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals. That's simply elite upside at a fair salary.
Viktor Lakhin, F, Clemson ($7,100)
We skew this column towards GPPs, and Lakhin is the ultimate target in that scenario given value and virtually zero perceived roster percentages. He's coming off a 12.0 DKP outing where he fouled out in 15 minutes. Who wants to roster that? The matchup - as previously mentioned - comes with the slate's lowest total by 10-plus points, though Lakhin can stretch the floor and extend Wake's foul-susceptible Efton Reid. We need a lot of things to go right, but with a 27.6 percent usage during his last five, he gives us 6x upside if everything clicks with a 2x floor. You've been warned.
Middle Tier
Baba Miller, F, FAU ($6,500)
I'm buying Miller's new home as unleashing his potential. He goes 6-foot-11 at only 215 pounds, yet I like his speed and length against the Spartans' bulkier frontcourt. Miller has gone under 20 fantasy points three times through 12 games and is averaging a diverse 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.5 blocks in the last four. He also provides multiple paths to a stable fantasy return.
Eric Dailey, G/F, UCLA ($6,500)
More on UNC below, but they're a guard-heavy unit that doesn't defend and that'll present very favorably for the 6-foot-8 Dailey based on his position flexibility. He's been maddeningly inconsistent, yet this matchup screams rebounding opportunities to boost his potential. And with a 23.6 percent usage over the last nine, there's a clear scoring floor.
Value Plays
Dante Maddox, G, Xavier ($4,700)
Zach Freemantle is out, and there's no obvious replacement for Xavier. That means this is a spot where we want to take a stab at anything for increased production, be it a rare used forward or a guard like Ryan Conwell ($7,400) who can see increased usage. Give me Maddox, who isn't even listed in our advanced lineups, which will either make me look foolish or give an edge with next-to-no roster percentages. He averaged double-digit points in each of the last two years at Toledo with meaningful secondary stats and has posted at least 22.0 DKP in three of his last four while logging 35 minutes in the Musketeers' first outing without Freemantle.
Ven-Allen Lubin, F, North Carolina ($4,700)
Longtime readers know I'm a diehard UNC hoops guy, and I can honestly say they stink. This is a difficult matchup against a physical and defensive UCLA squad where I could see Lubin having foul issues. But UNC's best five still includes him. Lubin's shown a 2.7x floor and 4.8x ceiling across the last six games while seemingly offering stability without slate-breaking upside.
RJ Melendez, G, Mississippi State ($4,300)
A lineup optimizer darling who just makes sense, even if he's highly rostered. Melendez has started four straight while providing 19.25 DKP or more. The game is essentially a pick'em, and he's getting it done on the glass and on defense in addition to scoring double-digit points. And the salary offers minimal risk.
Fade Ryan Mutombo ($3,700) as I believe he'll be over-rostered and in a bad matchup. Selton Miguel ($4,600) will also be popular.
