College Basketball DFS Playbook November 8: Top DraftKings CBB DFS Picks

The 2023-24 college basketball season rolls on with another CBB DFS slate for Wednesday night. It's only a 5-gamer on DraftKings, but we still have plenty of top plays and value picks to lock in for college basketball DFS lineups. This slate features some top matchups like Florida Atlantic vs Loyola Chicago and Arizona State vs Mississippi State. Plus, we get SMU, Syracuse, and Texas Tech as large favorites. Let's now jump into the top CBB DFS picks and value plays for the guard and forward positions. All CBB odds below are via DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Plus, check out KenPom top team totals as you build your CBB DFS lineups. Enjoy!
College Basketball DraftKings Slate November 9
- 7 pm ET – Western Illinois at SMU (-17.5) – 147 O/U
- 7 pm ET – Florida Atlantic (-6.5) at Loyola Chicago – 142.5 O/U
- 7 pm ET – Canisus at Syracuse (-13.5) – 152 O/U
- 8 pm ET – Texas A&M Commerce at Texas Tech (-24) – 128.5 O/U
- 9:30 pm ET – Arizona State at Mississippi State (-3.5) – 129.5 O/U
Top KenPom Team Totals
- Syracuse – 80
- SMU – 79
- Texas Tech – 75
- Florida Atlantic – 74
- Loyola Chicago – 71
- Mississippi State – 71
College Basketball CBB DFS Picks
Top CBB DFS Guards
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG |
Judah Mintz | SYR | CAN | 9300 | 34.75 |
After an impressive freshman season, Judah Mintz is back to lead Syracuse again this year. He averaged 16.3 PPG and 4.6 APG last season and is already off to a strong start. Mintz scored 20 points with 34 DK in the Orange’s first game on Monday. He had a 30% usage rate, took 15 shots, and went 9-for-11 from the free-throw line. Expect similar numbers tonight against an easier Canisus opponent. Mintz is a top overall play as the best player in the highest total of the slate. | ||||
Zhuric Phelps | SMU | WIU | 8600 | 38.75 |
Zhuric Phelps was SMU’s best player last year, averaging 17.5 PPG with a 32% usage rate – one of the highest USG% in college hoops. He’s a definite top play tonight as he’ll be SMU’s top scorer and all-around best playmaker this season. The Mustangs brought in Chuck Harris to play point with Phelps moving to shooting guard, but that shouldn’t impact his scoring much. Phelps scored 24 points with 38 DK in Monday’s season opener and should do something similar tonight in an easy matchup. | ||||
Johnell Davis | FAU | LY-IL | 8200 | 0 |
FAU brings back almost its entire rotation from last year’s Final Four team, so at least we know what to expect. The Owls’ offense is anchored by Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin, who both averaged 13 PPG with a 25% usage rate last year. Davis might be a bit pricey, but he’s still a top guard on this slate without many studs to choose from. Keep an eye on Alijah Martin’s status because if he’s out, then Davis would take even more usage and shot volume. | ||||
Chuck Harris | SMU | WIU | 6700 | 26.25 |
Chuck Harris transfers over from Butler to be SMU’s point guard this season. He replaces Zach Nutall in the backcourt and will be asked to run the offense more than Nutall as Zhuric Phelps moves over to shooting guard with slightly less ball-handling responsibility. Harris averaged 10.4 PPG last year for Butler but his role is bigger on his new team. In Monday’s opener, he had 16 points and 26 DK. The price tag puts him in GPP territory, but he’s a nice pivot away from Phelps or other top-priced guards. | ||||
Pop Isaacs | TTU | TXA&M | 6600 | 0 |
Texas Tech went through a complete roster turnover this offseason with the coaching change, but Pop Isaacs stuck around and he’ll likely be the team’s top scorer early on. He dropped 30 points on Texas A&M in an exhibition game, which is a great sign of his usage and shot volume with this new squad. Isaacs showed promise last season as a freshman and will be looking to another jump this year, especially with a bigger role. This price tag is really affordable for getting the top Texas Tech scorer. |
Value CBB DFS Guards
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG |
Frankie Collins | ASU | MSST | 5900 | 0 |
Frankie Collins is back as Arizona State’s point guard and he’s the only returning starter from last year’s team. ASU is replacing Desmond Cambridge, DJ Horne, and Devan Cambridge in the backcourt/wings. We’ll see how the rotation and usage shakes out, but Collins should be the lead ball-handler and top playmaker early on with some transfers and unproven guys around him. Collins is a nice bargain at sub-6k, but better suited for GPPs. You can also consider Jose Perez at $5400 if he starts. | ||||
Tahj Staveskie | CAN | SYR | 5700 | 0 |
Tahj Staveskie was Canisus’ best player last year as a freshman and he should be their go-to playmaker this season. He averaged 12.4 points and 5.9 assists+rebounds per game last year while leading the team in usage rate. Expect him to take on a high usage rate this year as one of the MAAC’s best players and Canisus’ clear top guy. The price is really cheap with the high total matchup vs Cuse and Staveskie’s team likely hanging around enough to rack up plenty of DFS points. He might be the best value on the slate, but is a bit tough to trust in cash. | ||||
J.J. Starling | SYR | CAN | 5000 | 21.25 |
J.J. Starling is now at Syracuse after a solid freshman season with Notre Dame. He averaged 11.2 PPG last year but his numbers should increase on a faster-paced Cuse team. The Orange are essentially replacing Joe Girard with Starling in the backcourt to pair up with Judah Mintz as top two playmakers – especially with Jesse Edwards gone. In Monday’s season opener, Starling had 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, and 21 DK points. He’s a great bargain at just 5k. | ||||
Joe Toussaint | TTU | TXA&M | 4900 | 0 |
Joe Toussaint transfers in from West Virginia to be Texas Tech’s lead point guard. He’s expected to run the Tech offense more often than not and be the lead distributor. In the exhibition vs Texas A&M, Toussaint had six points, seven assists, and one steal across 36 minutes. We’ll take that stat line all day at this value price for cash lineups. Even in a blowout win, Toussaint should provide 20-25 DK points or so. | ||||
Justin Taylor | SYR | CAN | 4500 | 31 |
After being a backup for most of last year, Justin Taylor has moved into the starting lineup for Syracuse this season. The sophomore had a stat-stuffing season opener with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block for a 31 DK outing. We want pieces of this Syracuse game and Taylor is a very affordable way to do it with the 6x upside. Keep an eye on Benny Williams’ status because if he plays tonight then it might impact Taylor’s minutes and role. | ||||
Josh Hubbard | MSST | ASU | 3800 | 0 |
With Shakeel Moore out, Josh Hubbard should be more involved offensively for Mississippi State and is a great value tonight. The freshman led the team in scoring in Miss State’s exhibition game while taking the most shots as well – and that was with Moore playing. We could see Hubbard enter the starting lineup, but he’ll still be a high-usage scorer off the bench even if he doesn’t. Miss State’s backcourt is essentially Hubbard and Dashawn Davis, but the former is much cheaper tonight. | ||||
Quadir Copeland | SYR | CAN | 3300 | 32.25 |
Another cheap value to consider from Syracuse is Quadir Copeland. The sophomore barely played last year but he looks like a main role/bench player for Cuse this season. In Monday’s game, he had 10 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists for a massive 32 DK performance. While he didn’t start, Copeland did log 27 minutes off the bench and benefited from Benny Williams sitting out. If Williams is out again, Copeland is a great bargain at a near-minimum price. |
Top CBB DFS Forwards
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG |
Cameron Matthews | MSST | ASU | 7200 | 0 |
The top-end of the forward pool is ugly tonight. One guy who should provide a strong DFS floor for cash, though, is Cameron Matthews. The senior forward will do a little bit of everything to fill up the stat sheet. In Miss State’s exhibition, Matthews had nine points, six rebounds, two assists, four steals, and one block. That’s a pretty good example of what Matthews will do most nights while playing multiple positions for Miss St. He’s even more important offensively right now while Tolu Smith and Shakeel Moore are out. | ||||
Philip Alston | LY-IL | FAU | 7100 | 0 |
As a freshman last year, Philip Alston led Loyola-Chicago in scoring, rebounding, and blocks. He’s expected to take another leap forward this season to be one of the better players in A-10 conference. Alston led Loyola in scoring in the exhibition game with 17 points, which is a good sign that he’s still the alpha scorer and playmaker as a sophomore. From the wing/power forward position, Alston should have an advantage over the smaller FAU lineup that could let him go off and force others to beat them. He's a top cash forward on this slate without many trustworthy guys. | ||||
Vladislav Goldin | FAU | LY-IL | 6800 | 0 |
FAU’s center spot is usually split between Vladislav Goldin and Giancarlo Rosado sharing minutes. When Goldin is dominating in the paint, especially offensively, he can be a top DFS performer with a 15-point double-double not out of the question. Loyola doesn’t have a ton of size to matchup with Goldin’s 7-foot-1 frame and he could have a ton of success scoring inside tonight. The price tag puts him in GPP territory, but the upside for 30+ DK is there at his best. | ||||
Jesiah West | WIU | SMU | 6400 | 33.25 |
In Western Illinois’ season opener, Jesiah West put up 33 DK with a double-double. He had the second-highest usage rate and shot volume on the team behind James Dent, which should be true in most games this season for WIU. Even in a likely blowout loss, the senior wing should get his numbers in a pace-boost matchup and with high usage/volume as one of WIU’s top playmakers. The forward position is weak at the top, but West is a solid cash floor play at sub-7k. |
Value CBB DFS Forwards
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG |
Maliq Brown | SYR | CAN | 5700 | 26.5 |
Maliq Brown showed flashes last season and should be a big part of Syracuse’s wing/forward rotation this year. In Monday’s opener, he had 10 points, six rebounds, four steals, and 26 DK points off the bench in 24 minutes. Brown is another guy who benefited from Benny Williams being out, so keep an eye on his status. This sub-6k price tag is a bargain for one of the top players in the highest total of the slate. | ||||
Devan Cambridge | TTU | TXA&M | 5600 | 0 |
Devan Cambridge is now at Texas Tech after transferring over from Arizona State. He’s expected to start on the wing for Tech and be one of their top players this season. Cambridge had 14 points and six rebounds in the exhibition game vs Texas A&M. This sub-6k price is very affordable for a guy that will likely be priced higher for much of this season. | ||||
Jimmy Bell Jr. | MSST | ASU | 4000 | 0 |
With Tolu Smith out, Jimmy Bell should start at center for Mississippi State. The big man started every game last year for West Virginia but wasn’t really DFS-relevant with a small role. Though he won’t be a big part of Miss St’s offense, he’s still worth a GPP dart at just 4k for the potential 5x value at his best with a double-double as a possibility. There are better values for cash. | ||||
Joe Jones III | CAN | SYR | 3300 | 0 |
Let’s grab another value from the highest total tonight. Joe Jones is expected to be Canisus’ starting center after transferring in from Georgia State. There should be plenty of rebounding opportunities for Jones and others with a faster-paced flow. He had some big games when given the minutes last year at Georgia State and can smash value if he sees 20-30 minutes. Check the starting lineup ahead of time because Jones didn’t play in the exhibition game. If he sits, then Bryce Okpoh is the pivot. | ||||
Shawn Phillips Jr. | ASU | MSST | 3100 | 0 |
Arizona State is replacing Warren Washington with Shawn Phillips at the center spot. Phillips is a 7-footer who barely played at LSU last season but still has plenty of raw talent and elite size. He’s really cheap for being a starting big. It’ll be interesting to see if either he or Jimmy Bell get the best of each other down low and around the rim in tonight’s matchup. Phillips is worth a GPP dart throw for the potential 20-30 DK points at his best. |
CBB DFS Core Plays
DraftKings Cash
- Judah Mintz – Syracuse
- Zhuric Phelps – SMU
- J.J. Starling – Syracuse
DraftKings GPP
- Pop Isaacs – Texas Tech
- Tahj Staveskie – Canisus
- Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
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Player News
José Buttó (illness) fired a scoreless inning on Tuesday during a minor league rehab appearance in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Buttó landed on the injured list earlier this month with an undisclosed illness. The 27-year-old righty, who has posted a strong 2.47 ERA across 43 2/3 innings (31 appearances) this season, figures to be ready to rejoin New York’s relief corps shortly after the All-Star break.
Bills placed EDGE Landon Jackson on the PUP list.
Jackson will be able to be activated off the PUP list at any time during training camp, but apparently will not be ready as camp starts. If he remains on the PUP list through the 53-man roster deadline, he’ll be locked into missing a few weeks at the beginning of the season.
Falcons OC Zac Robinson said Michael Penix Jr. “opens up a different avenue within the offense.”
This is in the context of stretching the field a little more than the Falcons did in 2024, something they struggled to do at times with Kirk Cousins under center. The Athletic’s Josh Kendall also adds “The coaching staff won’t ask Penix to curtail his aggressiveness. In fact, it’s the trait they are most excited about.” A more balanced offensive approach could raise all ships in Atlanta — and it’s something that might be necessary for them as they try to stave off regression with almost no new players added to the room.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper believes if Najee Harris misses time in training camp, the possibility of Omarion Hampton becoming the lead back is “even more likely.”
“Hampton has a chance to be an immediate difference-maker in the run game, a player with the explosiveness to score anytime he touches the ball. And he could be getting the bulk of the first-team work early in camp,” Popper continues. This is hardly an endorsement that Hampton is going to be RB1 in Los Angeles from Week 1, but Harris’ eye injury has at least complicated things early in training camp. There’s a non-zero chance that Hampton takes the baton and runs with it before Harris is ready to come back.
Oshae Brissett signed a two-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Brissett, who most recently played for the 76ers, will head overseas to join the EuroLeague team that is based in Israel. Brissett ended last season on a 10-day deal with Philadelphia after previous stops with the Celtics, Pacers and Raptors.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports Hornets waived Josh Okogie.
Okogie was dealt to Charlotte in January after spending time with the seasons. The Hornets made a handful of perimeter acquisitions this offseason, including Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley and Collin Sexton, that made Okogie expendable. He’s an impactful defender that should be able to find a spot on a new team.