This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
We've got a juicy Tuesday slate at DraftKings, where the 10k Pullup Jumper main tournament comes with a $2,000 first-place prize and obviously $10,000 in overall winnings. The slate is comprised of a busy 10 games that include some competive contests and some blowout creampuffs, making for difficult choices on who to target.
Cameron Boozer ($11,800) brings a massive price tag and leads three forwards priced in five-figures. There's no reason he won't feast against Lipscomb, just a question of how much he needs to. Seven of the 20 teams playing Tuesday have implied totals north of 80 points, making for clear targets, while seven more face double-digit underdog spreads and aren't expected to score 70, potentially creating clear fade spots while narrowing our preferred player pool.
College Basketball DFS Picks for Tuesday, December 16
College Basketball DFS Top Players
De'Shayne Montgomery, G, Dayton ($8,600)
This slate looks like one where we don't have to pay up, build a balanced lineup, and potentially use some under the radar teams/names that will come lowly rostered. Hopefully that starts with Montgomery. Dayton has an implied total of 85.5 points and faces an FSU defense that's 108th in efficiency, per KenPom, and plays at the seventh-fastest pace. Montgomery has scored in double-digits in every outing, and is averaging 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals over his last six with a 24.7 percent usage rate, creating multiple paths to fantasy points.
Henri Veesaar, F, North Carolina ($7,900)
Veesaar seems underpriced to me, and it's been a consistent price all year, having never been above $8,100. There's obvious blowout concerns, but Veesaar put up 39.25 DKP in a season-low 24 minutes in a similar situation previously. ETSU doesn't have a rotational option above 6-foot-8, suggesting Veesaar can impose his will on the glass at a minimum. And having scored in double-digits in every game to date, there's clear double-double expectancy and shot blocking potential to boost his potential.
Middle Tier
Sananda Fru, F, Louisville ($6,600)
I'm not in love with this price, but this is a game we can't ignore Tuesday given the expected competitive nature and potential for a plethora of points on both sides. I admittedly would prefer to attack this at the top level with Mikel Brown ($7,500) and/or Ja'Kobi Gillespie ($9,200), but that's not how the column developed. Fru simply gives us a stable mid-priced frontcourt option. He's about the only big the Cardinals have and will be needed to combat Tennessee's advantage there. He's scored in double-digits in three straight and seven times over 10 games overall, and will flirt with 5+ rebounds. He's returned 4x only three times, but I still prefer a 3x return over chasing someone like Lipscomb's Grant Asman ($5,200) due to the competitive nature of this game.
Ian Jackson, G, St. John's ($5,300)
Jackson appears to be working his way out of Rick Pitino's doghouse, starting the last two games and averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 steals. The steals are notable as he had just one all season prior, and his lack of minutes was directly tied to a lack of defensive commitment. He's also shooting just 27.3 percent over this short stretch but has taken 22 shots. If the defensive effort continues as well as that high volume, he's going to play more and buckets will fall. It's a soft entry point into a lineup that should score 85 or more and I prefer taking a shot here as opposed to a similar priced option on the slate's lower level teams that should be blown out.
College Basketball DFS Value Plays
Divine Ugochukwu, G, Michigan State ($4,100)
Ugochukwu moved into the starting lineup in the Spartans last outing and thrived, putting up 23 points and three steals. That matchup with Penn State was far tougher than this one against Toledo, so it seems to make sense for Michigan State to follow suit and see if they've found an offensive spark. He hasn't shown the ability to do much other than score, so we shouldn't chase Saturday's ceiling, but the price is low enough where he doesn't need a massive outing for a fair return. I'm willing to take the low number to see where he's heading in this attack, and with an 87.5 team implied total, Ugochukwu won't need a ton to return 4x.
Nick Davidson, F, Clemson ($4,100)
Davidson seems to be a player I can't quit. He's been priced as high as $6,600 based on prior production at Nevada and has been inconsistent at best for the Tigers, but appears to be trending upward, returning to the starting lineup over the last two, averaging 9.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. The usage is low, but I'm intrigued by all of Clemson's players Tuesday, as they have a 76.5 percent implied total and no rotational piece priced above $6,500. Davidson doesn't seem to have a high ceiling, but he gives us a cheap frontcourt piece that can reach 4x relatively easily.
