College Basketball Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 2/19/19

College basketball season is in full tilt.

March Madness is still roughly a month away, but you can get in all the college hoops hype by playing daily contests at FanDuel today. If you've played NBA DFS before, it's quite simple: pick a total of eight players -- four guards, three forwards and one utility spot you can use for either position. Stay within the $50,000 salary cap and field the team you think will score the most fantasy points.

Where scoring differs from NBA is in the blocks and steals categories, with each worth two FanDuel points apiece rather than the three you get in daily NBA contests.

Now that you're in the know, we can attack today's main slate, which locks at 7:00 p.m. EST and consists of 10 games. Among them, we get a top-25 matchup and Big Ten clash between 24th-ranked Maryland and 21st-ranked Iowa in Iowa City.

Which players should you be targeting and why?

Guards

Marial Shayok, Iowa State ($8,200): No one can fault you for rolling with Purdue's Carsen Edwards ($8,700), but to get his high ceiling, you have to shell out another $500. In Shayok, you can get that same consistent production, as the redshirt senior is averaging 28.2 FanDuel points for the year and 34.4 over his last three games. He has proven himself as the elite guy among Iowa State's impressively deep backcourt, and this is a spot to attack. Up against Baylor, losers in three of their last four, the Cyclones square off with a Bears defense that has given up 73.3 points per game over the last four (two games of 80 or more). Iowa State is implied at 76.0 points, which trails only two teams and checks in 2.4 above their average in Big 12 games to date. If you decide to stack them, Shayok should still be the building block of your lineup.

Jordan Bone, Tennessee ($7,200): If you thought the Cyclones were in a good spot, you'll love the matchup for the Tennessee Volunteers as they draw an elite matchup at home against Vanderbilt. Their 83.0-point total is seven above Iowa State's and 5.75 higher than the next-closest team. Not only is Vandy outside KenPom.com's top 100 by adjusted efficiency margin, but they are 110th in defensive efficiency, allowing 72.8 points a game and 74.3 to SEC foes. For as bad as the Commodores have been in conference play, Bone, the Vols' junior guard, has been just as good, averaging 26.8 FanDuel points on a 20.4% usage and 33.2% assist rate. The upside potential is there, as well, with Bone, who has six games of at least 30 FanDuel points, including three of 35 or more.

Devontae Shuler, Mississippi ($6,200): Sticking in the SEC, Mississippi is in Columbia to battle South Carolina. The Rebels are slight favorites (-2.5), giving them the second-highest total (77.25) on the board -- not far from their 77.1 average. A big part of that stems from the bump in pace Shuler and company are expected to get from facing a Gamecocks team averaging 2.5 more possessions per game, according to KenPom's adjusted tempo. For Shuler himself, he's on mini hot streak, averaging 24.9 FanDuel points a game dating back to January 26. At this price, the sophomore requires 24.8 points for optimal value (4.0 points per $1,000), and he should be a go-to option in the mid range this evening. But given the high total, there's no reason to scare yourself off due to ownership concerns.

Lamonte Turner, Tennessee ($5,400): Joining Bone in the Tennessee backcourt, Turner is set to benefit from the Vols' high total all the same. While the 6'2" guard has just a 19.2% usage rate on the year, he's turned 28.1 minutes per night into 20.1 FanDuel points a game. And despite a lower average in conference games, he's shooting an increased percentage through 16 SEC games (7 starts). He's coming off four straight games of fewer than 20 FanDuel points, but the minutes have been there. Plus, much like his teammate, Turner has flashed big potential in the form of in two games of more than 30 FanDuel points and another pair above 25. His recent production might keep ownership down, but at his price tag, he's a steal with this type of game script ahead of him.

Xavier Pinson, Missouri ($4,400): Remaining with the SEC theme among the guards, Pinson has a much lower floor, but when you consider price and the upside associated with rostering him, he is a worthwhile punt play against Kentucky. Missouri's 61.75 total is the lowest on the slate, as the Tigers are 11-point underdogs on their home floor, but Pinson has played 24 or more minutes in four straight. In those games, he's averaging 21.6 FanDuel points (4.9 points per $1,000 at this price) as a result of teammate Mark Smith's injury-related absences and limitations. If you want to get up to Edwards or pay up for one or two of the night's top guys (above $8,000), Pinson is a must if you can stomach his team's low total.

Forwards

PJ Washington, Kentucky ($8,300): On the other side of what's expected to be a one-sided affair at Mizzou Arena, Washington and the Wildcats enter with a 73.25-point implied total. They have averaged 74.9 points in SEC play and 76.0 over their last four, during which Washington has tallied 32.6 FanDuel points per game behind 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. In fact, the sophomore has put together eight straight games of at least 29 FanDuel points, including three double-doubles. He's been straight-up on fire and has thrown his name into the Wooden Award conversation. That's enough to get past the Tigers' slow-paced tempo (309th) and top-100 defense (73rd).

John Mooney, Notre Dame ($8,000): If you are unsure about Washington on the road, Mooney is a solid 1-B option as his Notre Dame team hosts Wake Forest. The 9-15 Demon Deacons are 223rd in defensive efficiency, surrendering 106.7 points per 100 possessions and 75.5 a game (78.9 in ACC play). They aren't a bad rebounding team, ranking 70th in total rebound rate, but Mooney averages 11.0 rebounds a game and 12.8 in conference, led by a team-high 20.3% rebound rate. Combine that with the scoring potential of a 74.75-point implied team total and a 24.3% usage rate, and you have a high-end play at the forward spot.

Joe Wieskamp, Iowa ($6,200): As competitive and close (2.5-point spread) of a game as we're expected to have in the Big Ten, this one isn't as juicy for DFS players. While Iowa is a higher-tempo, offensively-minded team, the Terps are 21st in defensive efficiency and 257th in adjusted tempo. They can and will present problems for the Hawkeyes, but in the event Iowa's style wins out, Wieskamp is the guy. Not only has the 6'6" freshman been in the spotlight for his corner buzzer-beater, but he has averaged 20.5 FanDuel points per contest with two games of 26.8 or more in two of his past four. He is shooting a higher percentage (55.6%) at home while averaging 23.6 FanDuel points -- just short of 4.0 points per $1,000 for this slate.

Christian Mekowulu, Texas A&M ($4,400): Wrapping up the SEC plays for the night, Mekowulu is an option to punt at forward rather than doing so at guard, or he's a guy for those who go full-on stars and scrubs in tournaments. At his price, Mekowulu could be chalky, having posted two double-doubles in his last three games. He is fresh off a 11.8-fantasy-point dud, but he's still managed an average of 17.4 FanDuel points (3.95 points per $1,000) on 20.7 minutes, 5.7 shots and a 19.3% usage rate. The Aggies are 1.5-point 'dogs at home, so their 71.5-point total is in the middle of the pack this evening, though that's not worth a full fade even with the high-total teams out there.

Brett Oswalt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Brett Oswalt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username BRO14THEKID. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.