RADIO
We have a nice-sized six-game slate tonight with some big names and some mid-majors. I will miss nights like this once conference season gets going after the new year. We start in Indianapolis with Cleveland State visiting Bradley. Colorado hosts Northern Colorado in Boulder.
Next up is the Battle of New Mexico from Las Cruces. We have Cal-Bakersfield heading to Fresno to take on the Bulldogs. There are two Vikings teams on this slate as Portland State heads to San Diego to take on the Torreros. We end this with a monster in Spokane. UConn is heading to Spokane to take on Gonzaga. Yes, please!
In this article, I will provide you with my daily fantasy college basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/15/23, starting at 7 PM Eastern. I’ll provide multiple player suggestions at guard and forward, aiming to highlight one option at the high, middle, and lower end of the salary scale. Good luck, RotoBallers.
DraftKings CBB DFS Guards
KJ Simpson, Colorado ($8,800)
Simpson is an efficient scorer and produces in every category. He has hit value in all but the Pepperdine game due to that. Still, the 26.75 against Pepperdine represents the floor for Simpson. I'm good with that. He cleared 30 in blowout wins over Towson, Grambling, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. History says Simpson has better than a puncher's chance of hitting that mark here.
Donovan Dent, New Mexico ($7,300)
Dent has been outstanding with Jamal Mashburn Jr. out for the Lobos. Mashburn has missed five games already and there is still no word on what is wrong with him. Dent played well alongside Mashburn, so he's not one I'll avoid even with Mashburn in. However, the ceiling is a lot lower if Mashburn takes the floor. Dent has cleared 40 DraftKings points in both of the last two games.
Deuce Turner, San Diego ($6,100)
Turner had a big game last week in the win over Arizona State. He has scored 52 points in 82 minutes over the last three games with nine rebounds, eight assists, and five steals. That's really good production for a value guard. Turner does make me nervous since he has disappeared offensively a couple of times so far this season, but he's on a roll right now and worth the risk.
Donavan Yap Jr., Fresno State ($5,000)
Yap is at his best as a facilitator, but he can still score some points. He plays a lot of minutes leading the Fresno offense and is usually looking to pass first. That shaves a bit off of his upside, but if his teammates start making more shots, Yap could put up some pretty big numbers. The Bulldogs are big favorites here, but Yap still played 28 minutes in a 34-point victory over Pacific last week.
Also consider: Tristen Newton, Connecticut ($10,500); Isaiah Hill, Fresno State ($7,700); Kaleb Higgins, UC-Bakersfield ($6,900); Wayne McKinney III, San Diego ($6,400); Jordan Rawls, New Mexico State ($5,900); Jaron Rillie, Northern Colorado ($5,200); Julian Hammond III, Colorado ($4,500); Hassan Diarra, Connecticut ($3,900)
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DraftKings CBB DFS Forwards
Saint Thomas, Northern Colorado ($9,000)
Thomas played all 45 minutes in a narrow overtime loss to Texas A&M-Commerce this week. He has cleared 50 DraftKings points three times already this season. Colorado is going to be a big problem for the Bears, but Thomas held his own against New Mexico State and the Colorado State team that beat the Ralphies last month. Thomas produces across the board and is an excellent passer for a big man. That helps keep his floor high, even when the Bears are overmatched.
Alex Karaban, Connecticut ($7,500)
I prefer the minutes that Karaban plays over Donovan Clingan, but either one are useful options here. This is going to be a frontcourt battle in Spokane tonight, but I do like the UConn pieces better. They are cheaper and have a better track record than Anton Watson and Graham Ike. Clingan has better ancillary stats, but I do get nervous when he only plays about half the game. That limits his upside.
Kaosi Ezeagu, New Mexico State ($5,700)
I'm a sucker for solid value plays. Ezeagu isn't going to break a slate, but you can say with a large degree of certainty that he is going to get you 22-28 DraftKings points. He has scored in double figures in each of the last five games, including 17 in a loss to Louisville at the end of last month. These teams played each other two weeks ago, a game that New Mexico won going away. Ezeagu still put up 22.25 DraftKings points in that one.
Fidelis Okereke, UC-Bakersfield ($4,100)
Modestas Kancleris was better against Gonzaga when Okereke got in a bit of foul trouble, but Okereke has come up big for the Roadrunners in the last two games. He has 27 points, 12 rebounds, and a pair of steals in 40 minutes against Whittier and San Diego. Okereke fouls a lot, but he isn't shy about taking shots anymore. I like that in a value play.
Also consider: Tristan Da Silva, Colorado ($8,600); Tristan Enaruna, Cleveland State ($8,200); Darius Hannah, Bradley ($7,100); JT Toppin, New Mexico ($6,700); Eddie Lampkin Jr., Colorado ($5,200); Enoch Boakye, Fresno State ($4,900); Jimmy Oladokun Jr., San Diego
