This article is part of our FanDuel College Basketball series.
Elite Eight Value Plays
After an eventful Thursday and Friday in the Sweet 16, we now head into the Elite Eight with what promises to be an entertaining slate of games with all sorts of storylines. The FanDuel value plays for the weekend games will include players for both Saturday and Sunday. Make sure you dig into recent trends, and try to find the players at a low cost that have been providing above average production throughout the tournament. Before we help you dive into some of these selections, let's quickly review the rules and format.
FanDuel gives members a $60,000 salary budget to construct a nine-player team, which includes five forwards and four guards. There are no flex players included. That breaks down to an average of $6,667 worth of salary to spend per player.
The scoring format for FanDuel is as follows:
Point Scored = +1 PT
Rebound = +1.2 PT
Assists = +1.5 PT
Block = +2 PTs
Steal = +2 PTs
Turnover = -1 PT
Saturday's Schedule
Arizona vs. Wisconsin
Notre Dame vs. Kentucky
Sunday's Schedule
Michigan State vs. Louisville
Gonzaga vs. Duke
When you decide on a few selections of your own make sure to take into account things like recent playing time, recent production, matchups in the upcoming game, and the tempo or pace of play that the game will provide. Those aspects are simply what separates the winning teams from the losing ones. Below are some recommendations on players that should provide value that goes above and beyond what their corresponding price tag would suggest.
Brandon Ashley, Forward, Arizona, $6,400
Ashley is a 6-9 forward who enters Saturday's contest against Wisconsin averaging 12.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He's struggled over his last two contests due to early foul trouble in both games. In the three games prior, Ashley averaged 27.4 fantasy points per game over an average of 31 minutes per game, including a 34.4 points performance against UCLA in the Pac 12 tournament. Arizona is one of few teams who can match Wisconsin's overall size and length, and Ashley will be a big part of that on Saturday. If he can stay out of early foul trouble, Ashley should put up good numbers against the Badgers.
Bronson Koenig, Guard, Wisconsin, $5,200
Koenig is a perfect example of a guy who can provide the type of production that well exceeds his price tag on any given night. His recent three-game stretch hasn't been spectacular, but he's still scored double-digit fantasy points in all of those games. Koenig scored 33.3 fantasy points in the Big 10 Championship against Michigan State, which included 18 points, nine assists, and four rebounds. Selecting guys that have the potential to produce like that without breaking the bank are the key to winning big FanDuel contests. Koenig vs. McConnell is going to be a great matchup on Saturday, and we like Koenig to show up in a big way.
Pat Connaughton, Guard/Forward, Notre Dame, $7,400
Connaughton went for 37 fantasy points on Thursday against Wichita State, and enters Saturday's contest against Kentucky averaging 12.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. The senior also averages 5.8 three point shot attempts per game, which he should exceed in a matchup against the Wildcats. Kentucky is formidable down low, and they make it difficult to score in the paint. They'll force Notre Dame to shoot from the outside, which is what they do best. Connaughton shoots it at 42.6 percent from long range, and he should get plenty of opportunities on Saturday.
Other Saturday Notables:
Willie Cauley-Stein, Forward, Kentucky, $6,800
Andrew Harrison, Guard, Kentucky, $5,900
Zach Auguste, Forward, Notre Dame, $6,600
Nigel Hayes, Forward, Wisconsin, $7,200
Gary Bell Jr., Guard, Gonzaga, $5,100
Bell didn't play well against UCLA on Friday and early shooting struggles were the main reason that he only played 23 minutes on the night. However, in the three tournament games prior to Friday night, Bell averaged 22.7 fantasy points per contest over an average of 29.6 minutes per game. The senior guard is one of the team's best perimeter defenders and although he only averages 8.3 points per game, he does a lot of other things very well, which can lead to good production. Bell has only committed one turnover in the last four games and he should bounce back on Sunday against a Duke team whose guards don't love to defend. The game will be up and down, which will provide a ton of opportunity for statistical production. If Bell knocks down a couple of shots early, he could be in for a big night.
Przemek Karnowski, Forward, Gonzaga, $6,800
Karnowski notched 32.8 fantasy points in Friday's win over UCLA, and he's been extremely consistent throughout the year. He enters Sunday averaging 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Karnowski has a big challenge in guarding Jahlil Okafor, but it will be just as interesting to see how the poor-defending Okafor will try and stop Karnowski. Gonzaga has the size and depth to get Okafor in foul trouble, and if they do, Karnowski should have another big night. The potential for production that he can provide is much greater than his price tag would suggest.
Bryn Forbes, Guard, Michigan State, $4,700
Louisville plays an aggressive style of defense and they make it very difficult to score inside with their size and athleticism. This means the Spartans will need to make outside jump shots if they're going to win, and Forbes should play a big part in that. He's an elite shooter and although he only averages 8.6 points per game, Forbes has the potential to hit the mid-to-upper teens if he's shooting it well. He averages 4.2 three-point shot attempts per game, which he will almost certainly exceed on Sunday. His price tag is nearly $2,000 less than what your average price per player should be, and he has the talent to pass that in terms of production.
Quentin Snider, Guard, Louisville, $5,500
Snider is a talented freshman that saw his playing time rise after guard Chris Jones was dismissed from the team. He now starts at the point and has been playing extremely well as of late. In the first three tournament games, Snider averaged 20.5 fantasy points per game while committing just two turnovers. He really seems to be getting comfortable as the floor general, and Lousiville will need him at his best if they want to win on Sunday. At $5,500, Snider has the potential to be of exceptional value this weekend.
Other Sunday Notables:
Matt Jones, Guard, Duke, $4,700
Quinn Cook, Guard, Duke, $7,400
Branden Dawson, Forward, Michigan State, $8,000
Wayne Blackshear, Guard/Forward, Louisville, $6,000
