RADIO
We have a nice slate of games on Wednesday. It's heavy on the Big East with a sprinkling of the old Pac-12 and the other game from the Jumpman Classic. We open in D.C. with Georgetown hosting the slumping Blue Jays from Creighton.
Next up is Xavier and UConn from Hartford. Memphis heads to Charlottesville to take on the Hoos. Next up is Butler and Marquette from Milwaukee. We have Oklahoma and Michigan from the Jumpman Classic. We close this out in Seattle with the roundball version of the Apple Cup.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy college basketball lineup picks on DraftKings on 12/18/24, starting at 6:30 p.m. EST. I’ll give multiple player suggestions at guard and forward, aiming to highlight one option at the salary scale's high, middle, and lower levels. Good luck, RotoBallers.
Today's DraftKings Guards - CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma ($8.5K)
Fears is similar to Young, but I feel like the team around him is better. Even if he is the second coming of Trae Young, the stats won't reflect it. Fears has shown that he can take over a game (Arizona) or help his teammates do it (Alcorn State, Providence).
18 y/o freshman Jeremiah Fears' stellar season continued with a big performance in a win over rival Oklahoma State. The 6'4 PG is a major stock-riser in the 25 Draft.📈
📊 Stats: 16.7PTS, 4.7AST, 3.5REB, 48%FG, 2.4STL
We all remember the last time Oklahoma had a star freshman… pic.twitter.com/p2lfiwiRCh
— GREENLIGHT MEDIA (@greenlightbball) December 16, 2024
It's difficult to find a freshman that puts up consistent stat lines. Fears has done a good job of that 10 games into his college career. I expect another solid performance, even against a team like Michigan.
Nate Calmese, Washington State ($7.5K)
Calmese has taken on a larger role with Cedric Coward out. He has boosted his scoring, upped the assists, and been a terror on the defensive end. He has even taken in more rebounds. Calmese does a little bit of everything, which is a recipe for DFS success. He has only had one game under 29 DraftKings points since Coward went down nearly a month ago.
Isaiah Watts, Washington State ($6.9K)
Watts is the other guy who has helped ease the loss of Coward. He has started all six games since Coward went down and posted at least 27 DraftKings points in each one. Watts doesn't pile up the assists that Calmese does, but he makes up for it with better shooting and good rebounding skills. You can't go wrong with either Washington State guard.
Ishan Sharma, Virginia ($3.8K)
Sharma is only in play if Dai Dai Ames is out again. Taine Murray got the start last game but was ineffective. Sharma came in and poured in 12 points, brought in five rebounds, and dished out three assists. If Ames plays, try to find a way to get up to him. It's doubtful Sharma will play a lot if Ames is active.
Also consider: Kam Jones, Marquette ($10.5K); PJ Haggerty, Memphis ($8.3K); Tyrese Hunter, Memphis ($7.7K); Malik Mack, Georgetown ($7.3K); Isaac McKneely, Virginia ($6.5K); Zoom Diallo, Washington ($5.8K); Mekhi Mason, Washington ($5.3K); Finley Bizjack, Butler ($4.3K)
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Today's DraftKings Forwards - CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton ($8.7K)
Ryan Kalkbrenner just did something no one has done since Bill Walton in 1973 ? pic.twitter.com/kxFpEro3d6
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 7, 2024
It has been all downhill from there. Kalkbrenner has only taken 71 shots in the nine games since. I think that makes Creighton worse in the short term, but this team is playing the long game. The Jays made their first Elite Eight last year and they want to go further this year.
That doesn't help us in DFS, but hear me out. Kalkbrenner is not scoring as much, but he is rebounding more and is still one of the premier shot blockers in college. He offers plenty more than just scoring to keep a stable floor and we all know that the next explosion could come at any time.
Liam McNeeley, Connecticut ($7.4K)
Are we seeing a shift in the UConn frontcourt, or is Alex Caraban still nursing an injury? Samson Johnson being out opened up more minutes for McNeeley as he propelled the Huskies to a win over Gonzaga, not Karaban. It was the crowning moment for the freshman so far and could mean that he'll be more of a factor going forward.
McNeeley has scored 66 points in the last four games, which is significantly higher than his 13.6 average on the season. He has also corralled 30 rebounds in those four games, also significantly higher than his season average (6.1).
Sam Godwin, Oklahoma ($6.3K)
Godwin turned in a performance that I've always thought he had in him in Bedlam on Saturday. Godwin exploded for 20 points and 14 rebounds. His 14 field goal attempts doubled his season high. Was this just an outlier, or can he do it again? If he does, it won't be against Michigan, but Godwin's price didn't rise enough to make him out of reach.
If Godwin has some confidence in his shot, it could open up a lot more for the Oklahoma offense. This is a tough defensive team, but inconsistency from the big men over the last three seasons has been an issue.
Will Tschetter, Michigan ($4.3K)
This coaching staff is not trying to make Tschetter into something he isn't as the previous staff did. Yeah, he's tall, but Tschetter is at his best taking perimeter jumpers. Michigan will need his scoring against Oklahoma, but he is a bit of a risk due to the strong defense of the Sooners.
Also consider: Danny Wolf, Michigan ($9.2K); Great Osobor, Washington ($8.4K); Vladislav Goldin, Michigan ($6.9K); Ethan Price, Washington State ($6.6K); Dain Dainja, Memphis ($6.1K); Blake Buchanan, Virginia ($5.4K); Jaylin Stewart, Connecticut ($4.2K)
