College Basketball DFS Playbook December 28: Top DraftKings & FanDuel CBB DFS Picks
I hope you are all enjoying your holiday week and after a brief layoff college basketball action is back and we are diving into the top CBB DFS picks for Thursday night. One Top-25 team is in action as No. 12 Oklahoma hosts Central Arkansas plus, we get to see the Pac-12 as USC travels to Oregon and UCLA plays Oregon State. It's a 5-game slate on DraftKings so let's dive into all the top CBB DFS picks and value plays at the guard and forward positions tonight. All college basketball odds below are via DraftKings Sportsbook when publishing. Good luck with your college basketball DFS lineups for Thursday December 28th...
College Basketball DFS Slate December 28, 2023
7p ET Coppin State @ Maryland (-30.5) 131.0 O/U
7p ET Central Arkansas @ Oklahoma (-31.0) 148.5 O/U
8p ET Sam Houston @ Texas Tech (-17.0) 141.0 O/U
9p ET USC @ Oregon (-2.5) 148.5 O/U
10p ET UCLA (-6.5) @ Oregon State 128.5 O/U
CBB DFS Top Guards
Boogie Ellis- USC @ Oregon ($8.1K DK)
Quietly, Boogie Ellis has become one of the best marksmen in the country, scoring at a clip of 19.5 points per game and shooting 44% from 3-point range. The super-senior can catch-and-shoot 3-pointers plus pull-ups pick-and-rolls into step-backs and is the safest play on the board tonight. This is the game with the highest total on the slate and a tight spread, so Ellis provides a solid floor and ceiling. With a 24.1% usage/29.4% shot rate to go along with a 20.5% assist rate take the discount on Boogie Ellis for a cheap $8.1K DK.
Note: Ellis suffered a hip contusion in USC’s latest game against Alabama State – check discord for any updates.
Pop Isaacs- Texas Tech vs. Sam Houston State ($6.9K DK)
Pop Isaacs has gone from being primarily a shooter as a freshman to one heck of an all-around player as a sophomore at Texas Tech. His ball distribution and court vision and IQ have been major ways that he is impacting Red Raider basketball than just his shooting. With a 28.4% usage and 30.2% shot rate a sub-$7K player that leads his team in offense is a near must play especially with Texas Tech coming in with a 79.00 implied point total at home against Sam Houston.
Javian McCollum- Oklahoma vs. Central Arkansas ($7.0K DK)
If you have watched Javian McCollum play you have to agree that he reminds you of a certain NBA legend- Allen Iverson. With the yo-yoing crossover, step-back jumper and driving floater he has been making even good defenses look bad. He even has a little Hollis Price in him as the Siena transfer has been a vital addition to the Sooners. He is the team’s second leading scorer at 14.3 points per game (only behind Otega Oweha’s 15.6 ppg) and has helped the Sooners get off to their best start since the program’s last Final Four run in 2016. With a 27.0% shot and 27.9% assist rate McCollum and sophomore Milos Uzan have provided Oklahoma with a formidable backcourt duo and arguably the two best point guards in the nation. As one of my favorite DFS players this college season I will have Javian McCollum in most of my lineups.
Other Top CBB DFS Guards
- Jahmir Young, Maryland ($8.7K DK)- If it wasn’t for the blowout factor Young would be the top overall play of the slate as he is averaging 50 DK over his last two games.
- Otega Oweh, Oklahoma ($7.1K DK)
- Sebastian Mack, UCLA ($7.5K DK)
- Joe Toussaint, Texas Tech ($7.5K DK)
- Dexter Akanno, Oregon State ($6.2K DK)
- Dylan Andrews, UCLA ($6.3K DK)
Top CBB DFS Value Guard
Rivaldo Soares, Oklahoma vs. Central Arkansas ($4.8K DK)
Oklahoma coach Porter Moser often talks about having eight starters and the last few games it is very apparent why. Rivaldo Soares has had a huge impact off the bench and is starting to play big time minutes for the Sooners. Over his last three games he is averaging 21+ DK points and at least 25 minutes on the floor and in the season, Soares has an impressive combined rebound rate of 26.7%. At $4.8K on a slate starved for value we can easily take the 4-5X value and run with Rivaldo Soares as a main lineup cash value.
Other Top CBB DFS Value Guards
- Elias Cato G/F, Central Arkansas ($5.7K DK)
- Chance McMillan, Texas Tech ($5.5K DK)
- Brennan Rigsby, Oregon ($4.5K DK)
- Jahari Long, Maryland ($4.1K DK)- Highly volatile but Long is capable of 5-6X value.
- Ryan Archey, Coppin State ($3.8K DK)- Archey is averaging 30 minutes and 17.6 DK over his last three games. May end up a main team play due to no slam dunk value.
Top CBB DFS Forwards
Julian Reese- Maryland @ Coppin State ($8.3K DK)
Julian Reese is coming off a horrendous game against UCLA. He fouled out and was held to just one point in his first start without a field goal during his collegiate career. That will not happen again tonight as the Terps have leaned on him and Jahmir Young heavily throughout this season — Young and Reese make up 45.7 percent of the Terps’ scoring. Maryland is also one of just two teams in the Big Ten to have a pair of players with a usage rate of 24% or more, with Young and Reese recording marks of 29% and 24.6% respectively. With a 23.5% defensive rebound rate (95th) and 11.8% offensive board rate (159th) Reese is facing a Coppin State frontcourt that just cannot rebound- 25.5% offensive (290th) and a horrible 38.7% defensive (359th!). Julian Reese will eat tonight even in a blowout game.
Kwame Evans Jr- Oregon vs. USC ($7.5K DK)
Freshman Kwame Evans Jr. seems to have put his early season struggles behind him and is now showing why he is a projected first round pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He has mobility for his size, and his finishing ability at the rim is helping Evans Jr. put it all together as he has now played 30+ minutes in each of his last two games. He has also put up 34+ DK points in three of his last four and had arguably his best game of his collegiate career last week against Syracuse with 17 points and eight rebounds (39.5 DK). Tonight, we could see a ceiling game against a USC front court that struggles a bit rebounding on the defensive end of the court (31%- 229th) and another 4-5X value.
Adem Bona- UCLA @ Oregon State ($6.6K DK)
UCLSA has produced some of college and pro basketball’s greatest post players. Sophomore Adem Bona has a long way to go but at 6-foot-10 and 245 pounds the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year has the physical presence and talent to make a mark before his Bruin career is over. It has been an up and down season for Bona (21.5 DK over his last five games), but he still carries a 27% usage rate with a 30.5% combined rebound rate. Tonight, there is no reason not to expect him to own the boards against an Oregon State frontcourt that is ranked 228th in offensive rebounding (27.8%) and 215th on the defensive end (30.8%). Bona is also at a season low $6.6K on DraftKings, down $2.2K from the $8.8K that we paid for him in the Marquette game in November. Fouls are certainly a concern (5.9 FC/40) as he has fouled out in three of his last five games, but I am willing to bite the bullet and take a shot at a just too cheap Adem Bona.
Other Top CBB DFS Forwards
- Warren Washington, Texas Tech ($7.3K DK)
- Tucker Anderson, Central Arkansas ($7.2K DK)
- Justin Winston, Coppin State ($7.0K DK)
- Donta Scott, Maryland ($6.4K DK)
- Top CBB DFS Value Forward:
Top CBB DFS Value Forward
Michael Rataj- Oregon State vs. UCLA ($5.4K DK)
Michael Rataj is a promising sophomore small forward from Germany and is projected to be one of the better point per dollar plays at forward tonight against UCLA. He has started the last four straight games and has jumped from 10-15 minutes per game to over 30 minutes now as a starter. Rataj is also now more productive with 34+ DK points in two of those four games and had two straight double-doubles. It is certainly not a lock, but Michael Rataj is going to be popular tonight on a value starved slate.
Other Top CBB DFS Forward Values
- Elias Cato G/F, Central Arkansas ($5.7K DK)
- Jordan Geronimo, Maryland ($5.3K DK)
- John Hugley IV, Oklahoma ($5.9K DK)
- Vincent Iwuchukwu, USC ($4.8K DK)
- Kian Scroggins, Sam Houston ($3.9K DK)
DRAFTKINGS CORE
- Pop Isaacs- Texas Tech
- Boogie Ellis- USC
- Rivaldo Soares- Oregon (Value)
Michael Rataj- Oregon State (Value)
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.