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Chris Meaney
The Big 10 will be going through some changes in men’s college basketball up top this season, as household names like Ayo Dosunmu and Luka Garza are off to the NBA. There is still plenty of star power though, as Juwan Howard has brought in an elite recruiting class at Michigan, our guy Trevion Williams is back for his swan song season at Purdue. and even the bottom half of the conference has useful fantasy options sprinkled throughout.
Big 10 slates are a grind, so getting a head start on info about this conference will serve you well in putting you above the rest of the field. Join me on this journey as we preview the Big 10 teams from a DFS perspective.
In this one, Wisconsin.
(Check out our full college basketball season preview!)
Wisconsin Badgers 2021-2022 Season Preview
2020-2021 record: 18-13 (10-10 Big 10), sixth in Big 10
Postseason: Lost in NCAA Tournament second round
Key Departures | Wisconsin Badgers
- D’Mitrik Trice (playing professionally)
- Micah Potter (playing professionally)
- Aleem Ford (playing professionally)
- Trevor Anderson (transferred to Valpo)
Key Additions | Wisconsin Badgers
- Chris Vogt (transferred from Cincy)
- Jahcobi Neath (transferred from Wake Forest)
- Chucky Hepburn (3 star recruit)
- Chris Hodges (3 star recruit)
- Matthew Mors (3 star recruits)
Returners | Wisconsin Badgers
- Jonathan Davis (7 PPG/4.1 RPG/1.1 SPG)
- Brad Davison (10 PPG/3.5 RPG/1.1 SPG)
- Tyler Wahl (5.2 PPG/4.3 RPG/1 SPG)
Wisconsin Badgers Outlook for 2021-2022
The Badgers haven’t exactly been a hotbed for DFS action the last few years, and it appears that will continue into the 2021-22 season. They’ve lost a big portion of last year’s production so we will have an opportunity to get some early value but it’s still not a team that really excites me all that much.
Jonathan Davis is our obvious breakout candidate and someone that we used a lot last year as a value play to great success. With Trice gone, Davis should see his usage rate spike to stratospheric levels. As a secondary piece last year his usage was around 18% and he contributed a ton via peripheral stats such as steals and blocks. In fact, his steal rate was top 10 in conference games.
Brad Davison is back for his super senior year, which I know irritates some because of his brash behavior but the Wisconsin faithful is obviously excited about it. Davison was stuck in that late-$4k range on DK last year and you basically had to close your eyes while clicking him into your lineup while hoping for the best. He was one of the best outside shooters on the team knocking down roughly 40% of his 161 attempts. Most of his value will come from his ability to stay hot from downtown.
Point guard duties may be given to freshman Chucky Hepburn from day one. He is a plus defender and was a solid creator at the high school level that should find his footing immediately. Jahcobi Neath will be better suited as a bench piece capable of playing both guard spots when needed. Chris Vogt comes in as the primary post presence that has a lot of experience. Most of his value is on the defensive end.
(Check out our rankings of the top 100 teams, top 100 players and top 25 impact freshmen for men’s college basketball in 2021-2022.)
Summary
We may shy away from targeting against this Badgers team as they’re littered with solid defenders throughout. My guy Jon Davis is on breakout watch and is likely one of the few targetable DFS options on this roster. Keep an eye on the point guard situation as Chucky Hepburn could provide us with a somewhat sneaky value play from day 1 if he nabs the starting PG role.
