College Basketball Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 3/22/19

March Madness is here. And just because you've had to spend all that time writing, scratching out and re-writing names on your brackets, that doesn't mean the DFS grind stops.

As all year, you can get in on college hoops DFS 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 Friday's main slate, which locks at 12:15 p.m. EST and consists of eight games. Buffalo and Arizona State highlight the slate with a 157 over/under and just a 4.5-point spread in the Bulls' favor.

Which players should you be targeting and why?

Guards

CJ Massinburg, Buffalo ($8,300): That game out in Oklahoma is the one to build your lineups around on Friday. The total is nine points higher than the next-closest game, and as 4.5-point favorites Buffalo's implied total (80.75) is one of two above 80 points. Their already upbeat attack (ninth in KenPom.com's adjusted tempo) will be supported by the Sun Devils' 44th-ranked pace, so there's no reason to expect a fall-off from Massinburg. The senior guard is fifth on the slate at 31.84 FanDuel points a game on a team-high 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks-plus steals. He knocks down 2.6 threes on 39.6% shooting, while his opposition has allowed 8.5 three-point makes on 25.7 attempts. Dial up Massinburg in all formats.

Ty Jerome, Virginia ($7,900): At points, Jerome has been up over $8,000 this year, but thanks to a pair of down games in ACC tournament it's a bit depressed ahead of Virginia's first-round tilt. After scoring just two points against North Carolina State, the point man posted 10 but with only two points and two rebounds (18.4 FanDuel points) versus Florida State. He still managed 29 FanDuel points in the first, which gave him 38.8 FanDuel points a game over a three-game stretch. Jerome's 5.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds prop up a very nice floor, while this clash with Gardner-Webb raises his fantasy ceiling. As 21.5-point favorites, the Cavs' 75.75 total is nearly four points above their season average and more than five higher than their average in ACC play. The only thing that could hold this guy back is a first half blowout.

Matt Mooney, Texas Tech ($6,400): Much like Virginia, Texas Tech gets a plus matchup in pace and competition. The 14-seeded Northern Kentucky Norse average 1.3 more possessions than the Red Raiders, however, they are rated outside the top 100 in defense. With Tech a 13-point favorite, they draw a 75-point total -- a 1.9-point improvement over the season average. Many will flock to Jarrett Culver at a higher price, but Mooney is second on the team in usage rate (22.1%), having turned those possessions into 10.9 points and 21.04 FanDuel points a game. The senior's inconsistency tilts him more toward a tournament than cash game play.

Davonta Jordan, Buffalo ($5,500): There are a number of low- to mid-priced Bulls guards to choose from if you want to stack on top of Massinburg. Jordan stands out because of his low price, but it's much more than that. The 6'2" junior has started 33 of 34 games and is averaging 26.2 minutes per game. His 16.5% usage is nowhere near the top guys on the roster, however, he ranks first in assist rate (21.2%) and assists per game (3.6), and even adds 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Those peripherals have helped him to three games of 30-plus FanDuel points and another three meeting or exceeding his salary-implied output of 22 FanDuel points.

Carter Diarra, Kansas State ($4,400): Kansas State players are fighting against the effects of a slate-low 118.5 over/under. Even as 4.5-point favorites, their implied total sits at 61.5 against UC-Irvine, a team that checks in 296th in adjusted tempo. While they operate at a faster pace than the Wildcats, this will be a grind-it-out game, though it isn't devoid of value. K-State will be without Dean Wade and could be absent the services of Xavier Sneed as well. Wade's injury has pushed Diarra to average 27.7 minutes a game over the last six, during which he's averaged 22.0 FanDuel points -- 23.4 over the last three. The sophomore should step into big minutes again, and that's enough to get the job done at this bottom-dollar price.

Forwards

Grant Williams, Tennessee ($9,000): Compared to Thursday's slates, this one is home to more potential blowouts, including Tennessee against Colgate in a 2/15 matchup. The Vols, as 17.5-point favorites, boast a slate-best 82.75 total in Columbus. That's nothing new for them, though, as Williams and crew average 81.8 points per game. The big-bodied junior averages 19 by his lonesome, while his 26.5% usage is first among Vols to log 100-plus minutes. But it doesn't stop there -- not by a longshot. Williams maintains a 13.4% rebound rate, 18.0% assist rate and 5.2% block rate, giving him 7.6 boards, 3.1 assists and 1.4 swats a game. Complete runaway or not, he's going to get his.

Zylan Cheatham, Arizona State ($8,000): Yes, Buffalo's going to score, but the short spread tells us that Arizona State's going to do the same just to keep up. Their 76.25 points are third on the slate, and as we noted they Sun Devils are getting a bump in pace. A big reason for that is the Bulls' tendency to go guard-heavy with Massinburg and others. Nick Perkins is the only big man averaging more than 20 minutes a game, so Cheatham could have a big game ahead of him. At 6'8", the junior transfer is averaging 10.4 boards, which combined with his 11.8 points comes to a double-double. For the season, Cheatham's turned in 10 double-doubles and 13 games of 10-plus boards. He may average a hair under 30 FanDuel points, but he has frequently surpassed 30 with three games of 35 or more. If there's a game where he can go off, it's this one.

Tariq Owens, Texas Tech ($6,200): Though you might be scared off by Mooney's inconsistency in the Raiders' backcourt, Owens doesn't present the same issue. The senior and 6'10" big man is averaging 21.5 FanDuel points for the season, and he's accounted for 25 or more in nine of them. He has the ability to rip off 10-plus boards on any given night and has a streak of five games with at least two blocks (three in four).

Romello White, Arizona State ($4,700): Whether you want to pivot from or stack with Cheatham, White is a cheaper alternative, yet one that has been producing. In an inconsistent season, the 6'8" forward is averaging 15.75 FanDuel points, but that includes 20.9 over 31.3 minutes in his last three. He has an oh-so-valuable six blocks during that time, representing nice piece of upside against the run-and-gunning Bulls. All he requires is 18.8 FanDuel points for four-times value -- a number White's hit 10 times in 31 games this season.

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.