CBB DFS: Hot Takes from Mid Majors

We have reached the end of our Hot Takes for 2020 and what better way to cap it off than with some of the insight we found when researching the mid major conferences. Every year DFS game changers emerge in this space and we are taking a look for who can be this year’s Obi Toppin.

We all know the and Memphis and Gonzaga’s of the world so they will be represented below, but hopefully you can find another player or two on our list to tab as “your guy” as you get him in lineups early in the season. As Toppin and Dayton ascended last year, so did their exposure to DK slates. Same goes for Malachi Flynn and San Diego State or even that the trio of Yoeli Childs, TJ Haws, and Jake Toolson at BYU. We all had that late night Toolson heat. Where will the mid-major darlings come from this year? Check out our hot takes below!

Gonzaga is absolutely loaded again. Corey Kispert enters his 17^th year of college and figures to be their lead option, but from a DFS perspective I am more interested in Jalen Suggs (the highest rated recruit in Zags history) at guard and in now healthy forward Anton Watson, who made an impact as a freshman before being lost for the year with a shoulder injury.
Saint Louis University is the pre-season favorite to win the Atlantic 10. They have three fantasy studs that should be on everyone’s radar when they make a slate. Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French each pulled down 10.4 boards a game last year. Goodwin is a guard who can also score (15.5 ppg), while French is a bruiser in the paint. Javonte Perkins is the third name to know. The 6-6 swingman is also an elite scorer for the Billikens.
Houston has consistently ranked in the top 20 in most preseason polls, so we should see a lot of the Cougars this season. Although Nate Hinton left Houston early in anticipation of being undrafted and Fabian White is out for the year after suffering a torn ACL, there are plenty of backcourt options to fill our DFS needs. Dejon Jarreau, former KU guard Quentin Grimes, Caleb Mills and Marcus Sasser are all back in 2020-21. DJ had elite assist rates last season and has arguably the highest ceiling of the bunch but staying out of the Sampson doghouse will be a key to unlocking his potential. Caleb Mills had 30% usage as a freshman and shot 36.5% from deep, giving him a lot of scoring upside as well.
If you missed our Vegas Futures articles, Byrd called out Memphis as a potential lottery ticket at 75-1 odds. As the article discussed, this team has a ton of individual talent and statistically, Memphis was an elite defensive team last season. With Wiseman and Achiuwa gone and the relatively limited offensive skillset for 5-star defensive wizard Moussa Cisse, I expect a major improvement in year 2 from DJ Jeffries, who will certainly have a lower price tag than VT transfer Landers Nolley II.
Let’s put a bow on the AAC right here after the Houston and Memphis callouts. Two guys I really like for DFS purposes are Kendric Davis (SMU) and Alexis Yenta (USF). Davis was an awesome DFS play last year for SMU and returns most of his supporting cast that helped him have the nation’s 11^th best assist rate while averaging 14.2 ppg. Yenta, an impressive big, was the league’s freshman of the year in ’18-19 before an injury took him out last year.
Post Obi Toppin Dayton should become a Jalen Crutcher team. The senior guard scored in double figures in all but 4 games last year and shot 42% from deep. Crutcher also doled out 5 assists per game and rarely comes off the floor. With non-con games against Mississippi State and Ole Miss, we should see plenty of Dayton when the season gets underway.
With all five senior starters returning from last year’s 24-win Richmond team, a lot of people like the Spiders to challenge SLU in the A10. This team is very balanced as all five starters are routinely fantasy relevant. Blake Francis and Jacob Gilyard lead the backcourt with crafty center Grant Golden and his 28% usage always inticing from a DFS perspective.
Wednesday we will be sure to discuss Utah State as they are on the opening slate, but as a preview we’ll be talking about Neemias Queta and Justin Bean right here. Queta (for now) is healthy and the Aggies 7-footer is known for breaking slates. Bean really made a jump in his sophomore campaign and will probably provide more value alongside him in the front court. With the departure of all-everything Sam Merrill and his 27% shot share, it is safe to assume that trickles to those two.
I am not sure how many slates they will get on, but I could see Austin Peay becoming a top 25 team and forcing themselves into Saturday action. Terry Taylor is back for his senior season after flirting with the NBA. He averaged 22 and 11 per game last year on 29% usage. He is the best player in the Ohio Valley, and the second best player in the OVC may be teammate Jordyn Adams. Adams has 26.5% usage and his 17 ppg were second among 2019-2020 freshman trailing only the NBA’s #1 overall pick Anthony Edwards.
You may be wondering, why on Earth would your boys @cbb_dfs spend time writing about Saint Joseph’s? They are 161^st in Kenpom and have no shot of winning the A-10. Well, the Hawks play Auburn, Kansas, and Villanova to open their season. We also expect SLU and Dayton on a bunch of slates this year. Finally, this team plays at a frenetic pace offensively and doesn’t value defense, so they are basically the greatest DFS team you can find. Ryan Daly will be one of the most expensive options on any slate he graces after rolling out 32% usage and top 55 assist rates last season. In addition, Taylor Funk is back and healthy this season, giving St. Joe’s a legit DFS combo that can bring full heat to your DFS lineups this season.
Looking at some other studs in the WCC we would be negligent not to mention Matt Haarms transfer from Purdue to BYU. He should make a big impact (pun) for a new look Cougars team. Colbey Ross is the lead guard for Pepperdine. He averaged 20.5 ppg and 7.2 apg last year, and many think Lorenzo Romar’s team could finish second in the WCC this year.

5 days Bucketheads!