Although it is very early in the season, the following group of players have certainly been nice surprises thus far. These players have not only contributed more than expected for their own team, but also for fantasy owners who might have them on their squad. The eight players listed below have all contributed more so far this season than they have at any other time in their collegiate careers. Whether they can continue this high level of play during the conference season is yet to be seen, but they have regardless made a huge impact thus far. All of the following are certainly names to remember for a free agent transaction in your league, depending on what you are looking for.
Tim Frazier, guard, Penn State Nittany Lions
It's certainly no surprise that Frazier is Penn State's best player. After all, he is the only Nittany Lion starter back from a year ago. As of right now, Frazier is the top performer in the entire Big Ten when you add up points, rebounds, and assists, just ahead of Jared Sullinger. The 6-foot-1 junior from Houston is averaging 19.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists through seven games. He has recorded three double-doubles so far, leading Penn State to a 5-2 record. Frazier's points per game average is 11.4 points higher than anyone else on the team, and is barely less than the team's second, third, and fourth leading scorer's averages combined. If Penn State can win five or more of their six remaining nonconference games, an NIT berth is not out of the question. Although that seems like low expectations, playing in the NIT would be a huge thing for this young team who is picked to finish last in the Big Ten. Frazier will need to continue his high level of play for them to be competitive in conference games.
Will Sheehey, guard/forward, Indiana Hoosiers
Currently the second leading scorer for Indiana, Sheehey has scored in double figures in five of IU's first six games. He had a career-high 21 points last evening in a home win against Butler. Sheehey has been extremely efficient offensively, averaging 13.3 points in only 20 minutes of play. He is shooting 55% from the field and 46% from three-point range. He also contributes 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Sheehey comes off the Indiana bench and is versatile, being able to play anywhere from the 2 through 4 positions. Although I hate to say that his production will taper off during conference play, which might not be true, his scoring average will. The Hoosiers are averaging 85 points, something that cannot be maintained in the rugged Big Ten. Nonetheless, Sheehey is proving himself to be a reliable all-around player for the undefeated Hoosiers.
Victor Oladipo, guard, Indiana Hoosiers
Like Sheehey, Oladipo is a super sophomore for Tom Crean's team. Oladipo is averaging 12.3 points during his 23.5 minutes, which is also very efficient. Oladipo contributes a little more than Sheehey in the other categories though, with averages of 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Oladipo has also been consistent, scoring in double figures four times so far and shooting 55% from the floor. Oladipo is uber-athletic and could be a tough matchup for some defenders during Big Ten season. IU hosts Kentucky on Dec. 10, which will be a indicator of how good Indiana really is. Nonetheless, the team is off to it's best start since Tom Crean has taken over the helm.
Dylan Talley, guard, Nebraska Cornhuskers
Talley appears to be the best undrafted player in the Big Ten Basketball Challenge. It didn't take long before he was picked up. After originally committing to play at LSU after his season of playing Junior College ball, Talley decided to take his talents to Lincoln, Nebraska instead. He and ex-LSU player Bo Spencer are the Cornhuskers two leading scorers, with Talley averaging 12.4 points. He is also contributing 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while becoming a deadly shooter. He is shooting 42% from deep and 93% from the charity stripe through six games. Talley's play shouldn't come as that much of a surprise, since he averaged 11.8 points at Binghamton two seasons ago, but has nonetheless helped Nebraska's transition to the Big Ten become smoother by starting out 5-1.
David Sobolewski, guard, Northwestern Wildcats
The biggest question in Northwestern basketball is always whether this will be the year they finally make the NCAA Tournament. The next biggest question this offseason was: Who will replace Michael Thompson? So far, Sobolewski has fulfilled that role. Averages of 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists have gotten Sobolewski 33.6 minutes of playing time very early in his career. He hit a clutch three-pointer in Northwestern's narrow win over LSU at the Charleston Classic, and carried the Wildcats in the first half during an ugly win over Stony Brook. As a freshman, he seems very comfortable running the Princeton offense, which is not easy to learn. The heir to Juice Thompson couldn't have come at a better time for NU. The Wildcats will face their toughest nonconference test in years this upcoming Sunday, when the seventh-ranked Baylor Bears come to Evanston. An upset in that game could go a long way for Northwestern's NCAA Tournament hopes.
Reggie Hearn, guard, Northwestern Wildcats
Hearn, a former walk-on, has now become a starter at least for now. He is averaging 5.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and an assist so far in the young season, while playing just over 21 minutes. Whether or not Hearn will be a part of the starting lineup once Alex Marcotullio and JerShon Cobb get healthy is unknown, but if not he should at least remain in the rotation. I noticed his athleticism two seasons ago, when he was a freshman and still a walk-on. Until this season he has only played garbage minutes, but it is refreshing to see someone work so hard who was not even on scholarship before this year. At 6-foot-4, Hearn slightly resembles teammate Drew Crawford out on the court, causing disruptions in the 1-3-1 zone. Hearn stands as one of the top free agents in the Big Ten Basketball Challenge, but would not be worth acquiring in a bigger fantasy league.
Jared Berggren, center, Wisconsin Badgers
Berggren, a redshirt junior, has certainly made a splash in the early part of the season for Wisconsin. After averaging 1.1 and 2.4 points in his first two seasons, respectively, Berggren has upped his scoring average to 12.3 so far this year. After losing Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil to graduation, Bergrren needed to step up this year which he has done so. He is also averaging 5.3 rebounds and is a good fantasy option because he can play either the forward or center slot for your team. Not only did Wisconsin lose their bigs from last year, but most of the Big Ten did as well. This leads me to believe that Berggren is not a fluke and he will continue to play well during Big Ten play. He has only been charged with more than one foul once so far this season, so foul trouble should not be an issue with him either. He is the Badgers only low post scorer, so Jordan Taylor should definitely be looking to get him the ball.
Ben Brust, guard, Wisconsin Badgers
Brust has embraced his role of coming off Bo Ryan's bench by becoming Wisconsin's leading scorer through six games. Brust averages 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting nearly 49 percent from three-point range, where most of his scoring is done. The Badgers have a lot of interchangeable parts, with Brust, Josh Gasser, and Ryan Evans at their wings. The ninth-ranked Badgers do have three very challenging games before league play starts. They host Marquette and UNLV, and travel to Chapel Hill this Wednesday. Winning two of those three games would go a long ways for seeding come March. Wisconsin is projected to finish second or third in the Big Ten depending on the source, which would keep Bo Ryan's amazing streak of finishing in the top four of the conference every year alive.