The NBA is still on break, but you can scratch that DFS itch with the college guys once again. We have 15 games across two star-studded slates. We have what you need to get through the NBA break.
We've got some big names and some great matchups today. We'll go through all of those for each slate. We'll give you the core pieces that you can build either a cash or GPP lineup with. Then we'll have some value plays to make it all fit. And for you Ricky Bobby types, we'll give you guys who have a great ceiling with a low floor because, "if you ain't first, you're last."
Here are my picks across all CBB DFS slates on Tuesday, February 18 with the main slate starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on DraftKings. The late slate starts at 9 p.m. Eastern.
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Today's Main Slate DraftKings CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Best Matchups:
Pitt guards vs. Syracuse
Xavier Wings vs. Butler
Mississippi State guards vs. Texas A&M
Iowa State forwards vs. Colorado
Core Pieces:
Braden Smith, Purdue ($10.7K)
115 D-I MBB players have scored 375+ points this season.
680 D-I MBB players have 105+ rebounds this season.
16 D-I MBB players have 140+ assists this season.
Only ONE (1) player has done all three:
• Braden Smith - 378 pts, 198 ast (T2nd nat’l), 107 reb
The nation’s best. pic.twitter.com/pvBPm2zCEF
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) February 5, 2025
Smith didn't have a good night from the floor against Wisconsin, but he still dished out 12 assists. He does whatever the team needs from him whenever the team needs it. He often does the same for our DFS lineups. The game against Wisconsin was his first time under 30 DraftKings points since the Auburn game in December.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier ($8.7K)
Xavier has won four out of the last five games -- including wins over Marquette and Connecticut -- and is making a case for an NCAA Tournament bid. Freemantle has been the catalyst. He has at least 24 DraftKings points in every game this season.
Alijah Martin, Florida ($6.3K)
Martin made his return against South Carolina and put up 23 DraftKings points in 24 minutes. The good news is that his price has dropped over $2K since his hip injury that appeared to be bothering him in the last two games before his absence. Martin will hit this floor easily and has a ton of upside at this price.
Value Pieces:
C.J. Cox, Purdue ($4.9K)
Cox has seen an uptick in minutes recently as he has proven to be a good bench scorer. He has double-digit DraftKings points in each of the last six games and has topped 20 twice. He's a solid floor option with some decent upside tonight.
Dishon Jackson, Iowa State ($4.8K)
This is a great matchup and Jackson is averaging just over 18 DraftKings points in the last six outings and has 35.25 DraftKings points in just 29 minutes against Colorado this year. He could do some real damage with more minutes.
Micah Handlogten, Florida ($4.6K)
Handlogten racked up 20.75 DraftKings points in just 20 minutes in his 2024-25 debut. He was thought to be out for the season because of a fractured leg. It looks like he has helped well as he turned in a great all-around game despite only scoring two points. He has a ton of potential, even on a minute limit.
Slate-Breaking Potential:
JT Toppin, Texas Tech ($10.5K)
JT Toppin dominated this week, posting 73 points and 27 rebounds on 74% FG. No Division I or NBA player has hit those marks over a two-game span this century, per Opta. His motor and versatility have been a key catalyst for Texas Tech's success, currently 2nd in the Big 12. pic.twitter.com/JKj0XQGfRP
— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) February 16, 2025
We have seen back-to-back ceiling games from Toppin, but those games were against Oklahoma State and Arizona State. Can he do it against TCU? Absolutely! The Toadies gave up 43 DraftKings points to Toppin in the first meeting when he was playing like a mere mortal.
Thomas Haugh, Florida ($8.1K)
Alex Condon is still out for the Gators, but they have barely missed him. Haugh picked up 28.75 DraftKings points against Vandy when Condon went down. He has at least 39 DraftKings points in all three games starting in his place. Don't make this more complicated than it has to be.
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M (7K)
Taylor is one of the most dangerous DFS players because of the volume of shots he takes. It works both ways. More often than not, he sinks less than half of them and has a pedestrian game or worse. A more recent development has Taylor running the point. He has 15 assists in the last two games, which gives him a higher ceiling and a higher floor at the same price. Yes, please!
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Today's Late Slate DraftKings CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Best Matchups:
South Carolina guards vs. LSU
Boston College guards vs. Virginia Tech
Houston vs. Arizona State
UCLA Wings vs. Minnesota
Virginia Tech frontcourt vs. Boston College
Core Pieces:
Milos Uzan, Houston ($7.4K)
Milos Uzan has scored 10+ points in 8 straight games. Over that span he is averaging:
14 PPG
5 APG (to just 1 TOPG)
2.8 RPG
1.1 SPG
On 50.6% shooting and 48% from 3. Incredible flash of the offensive upside— Rich Stayman (@MavsDraft) February 16, 2025
Who said that core plays had to be expensive? Uzan is showing that killer instinct that he never had last year at Oklahoma. The basketball world is buzzing about Kelvin Sampson's veiled shot at Porter Moser, but maybe he's right. Oklahoma doesn't have the killer instinct this year either.
Uzan has taken over for the Cougars and has been a great point guard in all aspects. He has four straight games over 28 DraftKings points. Expect that streak to continue in a drool-worthy matchup against Arizona State.
Toibu Lawal, Virginia Tech ($7.2K)
The maturation that Lawal has shown in 2025 has been impressive. He has at least 22 DraftKings points in all but the Cal game since Christmas. Lawal has over 30 DraftKings points in three of the last five games and a great matchup tonight.
Fred Payne, Boston College ($5.4K)
Payne has cleared 20 DraftKings points in five of his seven straight starts. He hasn't cleared 30 either, but this kind of consistency is very useful in cash games.
Value Pieces:
Jaden Schutt, Virginia Tech ($4.9K)
We'll forgive the hiccup against Virginia. Schutt was riding a streak of eight straight games in double figures in DraftKings points before that. Schutt is a solid value play with a superb matchup tonight.
Ben Hammond, Virginia Tech ($4.3K)
Hammond has played at least 23 minutes in four of the last five games and has double-digit DraftKings points in all of them. Yes, it's convenient when our value plays have a great matchup. I'm not beneath using multiple Virginia Tech pieces tonight.
Godswill Erheriene, Seton Hall ($3.8K)
Erheriene started his first game for the Hall last weekend in the upset win over UConn. He put up 32 DraftKings points in 37 minutes. Lock him in while you can at this price!
Slate-Breaking Potential:
Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina ($9.6K)
Collin Murray-Boyles... goodness gracious. pic.twitter.com/8Zbk5DQITO
— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) February 15, 2025
Murray-Boyles does so much that doesn't show up on a stat sheet. His court awareness at 19 years old is off the charts. Anyone with this kind of basketball smarts and athleticism is welcome in my lineups at any time. CMB hasn't hit 50 DraftKings points this year, but he has six games in the 40s. Don't be shocked if he winds up there tonight.
Isaiah Coleman, Seton Hall ($8.8K)
Coleman plays a ton of minutes but is among the least consistent players in the college game. However, Coleman has 78 DraftKings points over the last two games and gouged Marquette for 41.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting.
Lu'Cye Patterson, Minnesota ($6.9K)
Patterson has been the driving force for the Gophers in February. He is averaging 33.3 DraftKings points per game this month. This is a solid matchup against UCLA, but Patterson is the only Minnesota player I trust enough to run tonight.
