This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
We've got another two-slate day ahead Wednesday, giving us plenty to sort through and find where we're more comfortable. The main slate at DraftKings goes off at 6:30 p.m. EST and features a robust nine game, while the evening slate tips at 9:00 p.m. EST and includes five games.
Main Slate
There's some major scoring anticipated on this slate, with six of the nine games carrying totals of 140 or greater, headlined by Arkansas-Missouri's monstrous 154.5. There are going to be some chalky plays, but those large totals across the board should open up ample contrarian plays, if not values.
Top Tier
Norchad Omier, F, Miami ($8,300)
I'm banking on bigger names being played in this pricing tier, and Omier coming with low usage as a result. His 6-foot-7, 248 pound frame is going to be far too much for Georgia Tech's undersized frontcourt to handle; he's going to have some 30 pounds on his defender. He's scored in double digits in all but one game to date and has six double-doubles.
Kobe Brown, G/F, Missouri ($8,100)
I'm admittedly being suckered in by this game's total and current form from Brown. But we know we can't avoid these two teams, so why not go for the hottest option? Brown is averaging 30.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals across his last two games, coming against decent competition in Kentucky and Illinois, hitting 20-of-33 shots. That's a clearly unsustainable pace, but the matchup doesn't suggest he'll immediately cool off either. He can give us Jalen Pickett upside with a $1,300 savings.
Middle Tier
Kario Oquendo, G, Georgia ($6,300)
In continuing to make a concerted effort to be different, give me Oquendo at lower usage than his opponent in Wendell Green ($6,100). Both have similar game logs, similar prices and similar usage rates, with the latter numbers (27.4 and 29.0 percent, respectively) being challenging to come by at this price. The matchup is better for Green, but again, I'm seeking a similar outcome with lower usage. Oquendo has also played below his 2021-22 production, so perhaps there's room for growth.
Jared Bynum, G, Providence ($5,800)
Bynum has played at least 30 minutes in four straight, averaging 11.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. It's resulted in an average of 23.3 DKP, a sound 4x return. I expect he'll be popular, and it's not an easy matchup with Connecticut coming in at fourth in defensive efficiency. But there doesn't appear to be much risk, and it's okay to take a few chalky players along the way. Opponent Tristen Newton ($6,200) is appealing as a different option, but he doesn't score much, and I don't like this game to create a plethora of assist opportunities for him to explode.
Value Tier
Dariq Whitehead, F, Duke ($4,500)
Whitehead has a 28.0 percent usage rate and simply needs to just be healthy and play before this price is going to surge. His minutes have gone 21-25-28 in his last three, and his scoring has gone 8-15-16 in those games. Mix in North Carolina State's 58th-ranked tempo, and he should see ample opportunities. We know the former No. 1 recruit is long on talent. The time is now for the opportunity. He's a plug-and-play option until the price jumps.
Jordan Longino, G, Villanova ($3,900)
I'm expecting Florida's Kyle Lofton ($4,300) to be the popular pay down for stability, so I'll look to differentiate at this bottom-tier pricing. Georgetown is defenseless, ranking 280th in efficiency, per KenPom. I don't anticipate this game being close, and while the Wildcat stars surely get theirs, there's also going to be production to be had throughout, and late, from secondary pieces. Longino has played at least 23 minutes in four straight, responding with a 12.0 DKP floor and 21.0 DKP ceiling. Both scenarios play well at this price.
Evening Slate
The totals across the games here are much tighter than the main slate, ranging from 132 to 151. The challenge for me on this slate is Baylor. LJ Cryer ($6,500) is discounted if he gets his full slate of minutes. If he doesn't, there's value in multiple Bears as fill ins. We unfortunately get a mix of both sides, not giving us much to be excited about as a result.
Top Tier
Caleb Love, G, North Carolina ($7,800)
Love was invisible during the second half in the Heels loss at Pittsburgh. It's resulted in a $500 decrease in price, and he's now $1,100 lower than his season-high number. He's tied with Armando Bacot ($9,600) in usage at 26.3 percent over his last five games, and he's again is sitting at quite a discount. Wake checks in 108th defensively, setting Love up for a nice bounce-back outing. He's maddenly inconsistent, but has shown 56.75 DKP upside. Just 40 works nicely here.
Manny Bates, F, Butler ($7,700)
DePaul is 154th in defensive efficiency, and doesn't have a regular that's bigger than 6-foot-8 or 205 pounds. How exactly do they plan to contend with the 6-foot-11, 240 center that is Bates? He's not in the best of form after a brilliant start to his Bulldog career, and I'd easily be able to make the case for Chuck Harris ($6,900) being the safer play. But forwards aren't plentiful on this slate, and it's a clear plus spot for the North Carolina State transfer.
Middle Tier
Cameron Hildreth, G, Wake Forest ($6,900)
I watch far too much UNC basketball to how much they chase on the perimeter, so I know I want guard options from Wake Forest Wednesday. Tyree Appleby ($7,500) is certainly affordable even if using the names above, but simply didn't fit in to column format. Damari Monsanto ($5,900) could catch fire, but he does nothing but shoot. So I settle on Hildreth. He's taken at least nine shots in nine straight, grabbing six or more rebounds in eight of those. A few more shots fall than usual with the anticipated open looks, and he's in for 4x even with his price surging to an uncomfortable level.
Matt Nicholson, F, Northwestern ($6,100)
The mid to bottom tier of this slate is difficult, as there aren't many consistencies. Nicholson doesn't score, which creates a volatile floor. He's also committed four fouls in consecutive games, limiting minutes. But he's started four in a row, and has snagged 10+ rebounds in three of five, with seven being the bottom out. For as bad as I find the middle tier on this slate, the frontcourt options are worse. Nicholson checks two boxes as a result.
Value Tier
Leaky Black, F, North Carolina ($5,700)
See Nicholson, Matt above, and then enjoy $400 in savings. Black doesn't even want to shoot, though he typically finds his way into six or so points in transition. Still, he's crashing the glass at a high level of late, snagging 25 rebounds across the Heels' last three. Further, he's played at least 29 minutes in those outings, as UNC hasn't taken fully to Pete Nance as the Brady Manek replacement, but rather playing with a smaller lineup with Black at the four.
Eddie Lampkin, F, TCU ($5,400)
We're not going to find sexy upside like Whitehead above on this slate, so it's best to play it safe and afford as many of the 7k tier guys as you can, or at least I think so! Lampkin has at least seven rebounds in six of seven. He's been held to 4-6 points in three of those, clearly limiting potential. But the floor seems higher than teammate's Charles O'Bannon, who needs to score and distribute to provide.
