NCAAB

College Basketball Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 1/27/20

Matt Hiatt Jan 27th, 2020
North Carolina travels to North Carolina State in a game full of fantasy goodness. Who should we be targeting on Monday night?

College basketball season is in the midst of conference play, and we have a three-game slate tonight.

March Madness is months 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.

Which players should you be targeting, and why?

Guards

Markell Johnson, North Carolina State ($7,300) - Johnson plays nearly entire game for the North Carolina State Wolfpack, with 35 or more minutes in eight out of the last nine games. The senior has a 25.9% usage rate and takes 23.6% of the Wolfpack's shots when he's on the court. Both of those numbers lead North Carolina State, per KenPom. On tap is a phenomenal matchup with North Carolina. The Tar Heels check in at 88th in KenPom's adjusted defense ratings.

Devon Daniels, North Carolina State ($6,300) - Daniels' ability to contribute on both ends of the court makes him an intriguing DFS target. The junior is averaging 11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.1 blocks/steals in 28.8 minutes. He's a solid target with North Carolina State carrying a massive implied team total of 75.75 (highest on the slate).

CJ Bryce, North Carolina State ($6,000) - Bryce is a force on both ends of the court. The Wolfpack's leading scorer is averaging 0.78 FanDuel points per minute. At his production clip, he'll pay off his price tag in 30.8 minutes of action. Bryce has logged 31 minutes or more in eight out of the last 12 games. Throw in a juicy matchup with North Carolina and he'll be one of the more popular plays on this slate.

Kobe King, Wisconsin ($4,300) - King is the Wisconsin Badgers' second leading scorer, as he's averaging 10.0 points per game. His 21.8% usage rate is also second on the team, per KenPom. His price has cratered, as he's struggled shooting the ball as of late (three straight games under 37%). This looks like a bounce-back spot for King in a good matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes. In addition to playing fast, the Hawkeyes aren't particularly strong on defense. They are 85th in KenPom's adjusted defense ratings.

Christian Braun, Kansas ($3,800) - Braun is dirt cheap and playing a ton of minutes off the bench. That should continue with high-energy reserve David McCormack suspended. Braun is averaging 13.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals in 30.5 minutes in the Kansas Jayhawks' last two games.

Forwards

Luka Garza, Iowa ($8,900) - Garza is averaging a ridiculous 1.32 FanDuel points per minute. At his production clip, he'll only need to play around 27 minutes to pay off his current price tag. Garza has played 33 or more minutes in five out of the last six games. He's the most expensive player on the slate for good reason.

Garrison Brooks, North Carolina ($7,400) - Brooks provides a stable floor with huge upside, as he's recorded at least 23 FanDuel points in 10 consecutive games. He's topped 48 FanDuel points in two of the last six. The junior is an elite rebounder with a solid offensive game. Brooks has recorded a double-double in six out of the last seven games. As long as Cole Anthony remains out, Brooks will remain the top offensive threat for the Tar Heels.

Armando Bacot, North Carolina ($6,600) - Bacot is a boom or bust play due to his ability to rack up fouls in a hurry (averages 4.2 fouls per 40 minutes per KenPom). However, he has massive upside, as he's averaging 1.02 FanDuel points per minute. At his production clip, he'll only need to play 25.9 minutes to pay off his current price tag. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he'll easily log at least 30 minutes.

Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin ($6,200) - Reuvers owns a 27.6% usage rate and takes 29.2% of the Badgers' shots when he's on the floor. Both of those numbers lead Wisconsin, per KenPom. On tap is a major pace-up game for Wisconsin. Wisconsin is 350th in KenPom's adjusted tempo ratings, while Iowa is 97th.

DJ Funderburk, North Carolina State ($6,100) - Funderburk is a better play if Manny Bates and/or Pat Andree sit out. With that said, he's still viable even if they both return from their two-game injury absences. Funderburk is averaging 12.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks/steals in 24.1 minutes. The junior has eclipsed 20 FanDuel points in seven out of the last eight games. He'll push for 32 or more minutes if Bates and/or Andree sit out. Manny Bates ($4,600) is a decent source of salary relief if he's able to suit up.

Matthew Hiatt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matthew Hiatt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username easternmh. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her 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.