DFS College Basketball: Monday Preview

DFS College Basketball: Monday Preview

This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.

DraftKings is running a four-game slate once again Monday, while FanDuel is returning with an identical slate after only running single-game contests Sunday. The slate begins with a matchup between Syracuse and Virginia that is expected to have the lowest scoring total, while the later Arizona-Arizona State and Oklahoma State-Iowa State contests are expected to feature all four of the top-scoring teams on the DFS slate.

Targets

James Akinjo, G, Arizona ($8,200 DK, $7,100 FD)

Starting in the upper echelon of DFS salaries, Akinjo has bounced back significantly over the last three games after struggling against USC on Jan. 7. He has better value on FanDuel, but his recent production makes him a good play on either platform, especially since Arizona has the highest expected score of any team on Monday's slate. The transfer from Georgetown has been a key offensive contributor recently, topping 20 points in two of the past three contests while averaging 6.7 assists during that span. Monday's in-state rivalry is expected to be high-scoring and competitive, and the junior guard could be in for another productive performance.

Javan Johnson, F, Iowa State ($6,400 DK, $6,800 FD)

For DFS players looking for value among the mid-tier salaries, Johnson has led the Cyclones in usage this season and had especially high production over the last three games. Iowa State will be taking the floor Monday for the first time since Jan. 9, but the team still has a high expected total despite its layoff of over two weeks. Over his three appearances to begin the calendar year, Johnson is averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 35.7 minutes per game, and the Cyclones should lean on him once again during their return to the court Monday.

Kalib Boone, F, Oklahoma State ($4,800 DK, $4,900 FD)

On the other side of the matchup, Boone provides a value play following his performance with Cade Cunningham out due to COVID-19 protocols. Cunningham wasn't in physical shape to take the court in the Cowboys' last matchup, and Boone could be in for a starting role if he's unavailable again. Even if Cunningham ($8,500 DK, $7,600 FD) returns to action, he could have some restrictions if he hasn't regained full conditioning. Boone is averaging 22.0 minutes per game over the past three contests and should have an increased role for Oklahoma State once again, and he's an enticing option once again Monday, especially given his low DFS salary. 

Fades

Kyler Edwards, G, Texas Tech ($6,000 DK, $6,000 FD)

Edwards has played at least 30 minutes in each of the last four games since returning to the starting five, but he's failed to reach double figures in the scoring column on three of those occasions. The Red Raiders have the second-lowest expected total of any team on Monday's DFS slate, and Edwards could struggle once again after he was unable to generate much production against Baylor's elite defense in his last appearance. The junior guard has been quite inconsistent early in the season, and there are several more appealing DFS options in the mid-tier range Monday.

Trey Murphy, F, Virginia ($5,800 DK, $5,300 FD)

Murphy has taken on a starting role for Virginia during seven of the last eight games with Kody Stattmann unavailable due to an undisclosed medical condition, but he hasn't had enough output in categories other than scoring to generate much DFS production. While he's been relatively productive from beyond the arc, he's averaging just 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the five games since the start of the calendar year. He only converted on one field goal in the team's last game en route to a season-low three points for the Cavaliers. Murphy's production has been dependent on three-pointers, and he could struggle in a low-scoring matchup against the Orange, who have allowed opponents to convert on just 28.6 percent of their three-point attempts.

Buddy Boeheim, G, Syracuse ($6,800 DK, $6,300 FD)

Boeheim's field goal percentage has been quite inconsistent this season, and he's coming off a game in which he shot just 23.1 percent from the floor. Syracuse has the lowest expected total by far of any team on Monday's DFS slate against Virginia's elite defense, so the junior could struggle to bounce back in the matchup. Boeheim had been relatively productive earlier in the season due to his high shot volume from beyond the arc, but DFS players could be better off looking for mid-tier value elsewhere since the Orange are expected to struggle on the offensive side of the ball Monday.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jason Shebilske plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: FavreFanatic, FanDuel: Favre_Fanatic.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Shebilske
Jason joined RotoWire in 2019. In 2023, he was named the FSWA Player Notes Writer of the Year. In addition to RotoWire, Jason writes for the Sports Broadcast Journal.
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