This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
We've got a $12,000 prize pool in DraftKings early slate Tuesday with the big conference tournaments getting underway. $3,000 is up for grabs to first place. There's a late slate we hope to break down either singularly or as an update to this column, but we need Monday results before a player pool is available. So lets dive in to an elongated early slate that tips at 12:30 and stretches all the way until 6:45, approximately.
We've got five games to consider, which doesn't likely allow for heavy differentiation in builds, especially with two games having totals 10 or more points below the other three. No player has a price point north of $8,500, so while differentiating may be challenging, building from depth wont. We've been running hot in this column over the last week, so lets keep it going!
Top Targets
Quinten Post, F, Boston College ($8,500)
I've been siding with the slate's highest-priced player lately more than I care to, but it seems to make sense Tuesday. We've got a solid 147.0 point total and narrow two-point spread, where Miami is somewhat surprisingly favored. Post has dominated the Hurricanes in two regular season matchups, averaging 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 assists, posting no worse than 37.5 DKP. If that's the floor, we've got a rock-solid anchor to build around.
Norchad Omier, F, Miami ($8,200)
Lets go ahead and double dip in this game, and in the front court and lock in stability. Omier has a 27.1 percent usage rate over his last five games, and has averaged 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 steals against the Eagles this season. The lines tell us we like this spot, as noted above with a tight spread and high point total for the slate, but it's worth nothing these two played weird games during the season. Boston College won both by eight-plus, with one having 162 points scored and the other 124. I don't understand Miami being favored, but that variance makes me feel far more confident in forwards here than guards.
NC State's Jayden Taylor is an immediate play if we get confirmation DJ Horne will sit.
Middle Tier
John Newman, G/F, Cincinnati ($6,000)
Position flexibility to allow you options is the real appeal. But Newman is avergaing 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals across his last three. The Bearcats are facing a Mountaineer team the just smoked 92-56 and looks to have completely quit. Newman averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals against WVU in two previous matchups, which is sufficient at this price.
Ty-Laur Johnson, G, Louisville ($5,600)
I don't love this price, but Johnson has been as high as $6,600 this season, so maybe I should bite my tougue. The ceiling hasn't been there of late for Johnson, with a 23.5 DKP outing maxing him over his last five, but he flashed in early February prior to a one-game absence, averaging over 34.0 DKP, which works incredibly at this price. Despite the lack of form, Johnson is averaging 26.5 minutes across his last four, and with an open game where points shouldn't be hard to come by, I like his upside at a sliding price.
Bargain Options
Quion Williams, G, Oklahoma State ($4,700)
This is likely going to be chalk, but at a sub 5k price, it's one I'd be willing to eat whether Williams succeeds or fails; either result won't win or lose things. Williams has started 10 straight games, averaged 30.4 minutes and produced 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists, with a modest 20.1 percent usage rate. The floor is super low, with two games in this stretch with 8.0 fantasy points or less, and the ceiling is equally as volatile, with Williams erupting for 38.5 DKP against Oklahoma, one of three outings of 30+ fantasy points. He'll need to shoot better than the 2-for-7 he posted against UCF in season.
Kowacie Reeves, G, Georgia Tech ($4,800)
You can honestly take any piece of the Oklahoma State - UCF game to round out your lineup, but with that game having such a low total, I can't fully get behind stacking it on the low end while taking stars elsewhere. As such, we're almost forced to use Reeves as a second paydown, as he's started all 31 games this season and averaged 29.3 minutes, 10.0 points and 4.1 rebounds. Game to game inconsistencies are a concern.
Nothing suggests Nijel Pack will play, let alone get a full set of minutes. But for a multi-entry GPP, he's a fantastic gamble at this minimal price.
