College Basketball Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 2/13/20

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

March Madness is 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.

Which players should you be targeting, and why?

Relevant Injury Situations: Precious Achiuwa (Memphis), Jaevin Cumberland (Cincinnati), Onyeka Okongwu (Southern California), Both Gach (Utah) are all questionable.

Guards

Tyler Bey, Colorado ($7,500) - In addition to his team high 24.7% usage rate, Bey is one of the best defenders in the Pac 12. The junior is averaging 13.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 3.0 blocks/steals in 28.0 minutes. On tap is an intriguing matchup with the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks have been struggling as of late; they've lost two straight, and their defense has fallen to 83rd in KenPom's adjusted defense ratings. Backcourt mate McKinley Wright IV ($6,900) is also worth a look if you can't quite get up to Bey.

Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati ($7,300) - Cumberland owns a 28.3% usage rate (team high), and he's also taking 25.6% of the team's shots when he's on the floor (second best on the team), per KenPom. Because of his heavy involvement in the offense, Cumberland provides a solid floor with significant upside. The Bearcats' guard has topped 29 FanDuel points in six straight games, and he's eclipsed 39 FanDuel points in two of those games.

Chris Duarte, Oregon ($6,600) - Duarte is a pest on both ends of the court. The shooting guard is averaging 14.2 points (second best on the team), 5.6 rebounds (also second best), 1.6 assists, and 2.2 blocks/steals in 30.2 minutes. Due to his ability to rack up steals, Duarte carries monster upside. The junior has been credited with 14 steals in the Ducks' last two home games (they host Colorado tonight). The Oregon guard is one of a few players on this slate with 50-FanDuel-point upside.

Ethan Thompson, Oregon State ($5,800) - Thompson is an intriguing target because he rarely leaves the floor and is one of the top options offensively for the Oregon State Beavers. The junior has a 23.6% usage rate, and he's taking 22.8% of the Beavers' shots when he's on the floor, per KenPom. Both of those figures rank second best on the team. Throw in a matchup with Utah's brutal defense (119th in KenPom's adjusted defense ratings), and it's time to take advantage of Thompson's declining price tag.

Dexter Dennis, Wichita State ($4,400) - Dennis has been a reserve for most of the season. However, he's started each of the Wichita State Shockers' last five games. Dennis is averaging 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.1 blocks/steals and 1.0 turnovers in 30.8 minutes over the last five. That equates to 20.66 FanDuel points, which is more than enough to pay off his cheap price tag.

Other guards to consider (below $5,000): CJ Fredrick, Ceasar DeJesus, Ethan Anderson, Zach Reichle, Connor McCaffrey, Will Richardson, Marcus Tsohonis, Joe Toussaint, Rob Phinisee, Tyson Etienne, Jaxon Brenchley (if Both Gach is out), Al Durham, and Grant Sherfield.

Forwards

Luka Garza, Iowa ($8,900) - Garza has a 30.5% usage rate, and he accounts for 34.1% of the Iowa Hawkeyes' shots when he's on the floor, per KenPom. Both of those numbers rank inside the top 50 nationally. The National Player of the Year candidate is averaging 23.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 2.5 blocks/steals in 30.6 minutes. He's well worth his expensive price tag. Tres Tinkle ($8,100) is a quality high-end spend who doesn't cost quite as much as Garza does. Onyeka Okongwu ($8,300) also fits that bill -- if he's able to play.

Tre Scott, Cincinnati ($7,000) - Scott is playing his best ball of the season as the calendar moves toward March. Over the last three games, Scott is averaging 16.7 points, 11.67 rebounds, 2.67 assists, 1.33 blocks, and 2.0 steals in 36.3 minutes. His hot streak should continue in a major pace-up game as the Bearcats host Memphis. Cincinnati is 184th in KenPom's adjusted tempo ratings while Memphis is 16th. Trayce Jackson-Davis ($7,100) and Isaiah Stewart ($7,400) are also worth a look in this price range, albeit both slightly more expensive than Scott.

Nick Rakocevic, Southern California ($6,300) - Rakocevic has enormous upside due to his elite rebounding and shot-blocking skills. He's also heavily involved offensively as evidenced by his 22.6% usage rate, according to KenPom (second best on the team). With star forward Onyeka Okongwu's availability in question (concussion protocol), Rakocevic may be line for an expanded role offensively. He'll also have to play as many minutes as he can handle (averages 28.0 minutes per game). Additionally, teammate Jonah Matthews ($5,400) would become one of the best guard values on the slate if Okongwu is out, and Isaiah Mobley ($4,200) would likely start if Okongwu is unable to suit up.

Kylor Kelley, Oregon State ($5,600) - Kelley is averaging 0.89 FanDuel points per minute. At that production clip, he is expected to pay off his price tag in 25.2 minutes of action. The Oregon State center has played 30-plus minutes in seven consecutive games. He's a great target in the mid-range.

Chris Vogt, Cincinnati ($5,300) - Vogt is averaging 0.81 FanDuel points per minute. At that rate, he can be expected to pay off his price tag in 26.2 minutes. The Bearcats' center has logged 26-plus minutes in each of the last five games. In addition to playing in a major-pace up game (as mentioned in the Scott section), Vogt's outlook may be further enhanced if Memphis star forward Precious Achiuwa is unable to suit up.

Other forwards to consider (below $5,000): Evan Battey, Branden Carlson, Justin Smith, Daniel Utomi, Lance Thomas, Malcolm Dandridge (if available AND Achiuwa is out), and Isaiah Mobley (if Okongwu is out).

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.