This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
DraftKings is running a large DFS slate featuring eight games Monday, while FanDuel is including five games on the slate. One of the biggest headlines of the day is the season debut of Kofi Cockburn, who missed the first three games of the year due to a suspension. While three matchups have double-digit spreads that could allow bench players to thrive, there should be plenty of competitive games with chances for star players to offer fantasy value.
Top Players
Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois ($7,800 DK, $8,300 FD)
Cockburn has the potential to be one of the top players in college hoops this year, and he'll make his season debut against Cincinnati after serving a three-game suspension. It's possible that the junior could have some rust in his first game back on the court, but it's also safe to assume that he's been staying in shape since his absence wasn't related to an injury. Coleman Hawkins has the second-highest DFS salary on the team Monday and should return to a bench role, while Cockburn has the potential to provide plenty of value in his season debut.
E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State ($9,500 DK, $8,500 FD)
Liddell has one of the top DFS salaries on Monday's slate since he's been the top contributor for the Buckeyes early in the season. The junior played just 20 minutes in last week's blowout win over Bowling Green but has logged at least 28 minutes on the court in each of Ohio State's other three games to begin the year. The Buckeyes will face a Seton Hall program that has been quite competitive early in the season with a 3-0 record, including a win over Michigan. The Pirates play with a fast pace but aren't very efficient defensively, which should create plenty of chances for Liddell to thrive in the frontcourt, especially since Justice Sueing will remain sidelined with an abdominal injury.
Middle Tier
JD Notae, G, Arkansas ($5,500 DK, $7,700 FD)
Notae's DraftKings salary is somewhat perplexing, but he has the chance to provide plenty of value Monday. The senior has been consistently dominant for the Razorbacks early in the season but is firmly in mid-tier salary range on Monday's DraftKings slate. Although Arkansas has won each of its first three games by at least 13 points, Notae has had plenty of playing time while averaging 34.7 minutes per contest. He's also shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and is averaging 21.7 points per game, in addition to 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.7 steals. Monday's matchup against Kansas State is expected to be slightly more competitive than the Razorbacks' first three games this year, so Notae should remain heavily involved.
Grant Anticevich, F, California ($4,900 DK, $6,200 FD)
Although California has one of the lowest expected scores on Monday's slate, Anticevich should have the opportunity to provide plenty of DFS value, particularly at his current salary. The forward has played at least 26 minutes in each of the first four games of the season and has scored in double figures in each of his last three appearances. In addition, he's averaging a career-best 7.5 rebounds per game, albeit in a limited sample. Anticevich had somewhat limited production on the scoreboard earlier in his career but has logged double-digit field-goal attempts in three of his first four outings of the season and figures to be a factor in Monday's matchup against Florida.
Values
John Newman, G, Cincinnati ($3,700 DK, $4,600 FD)
Newman's playing time has been incredibly consistent early in the year, but his stats in any given category haven't jumped off the page. The transfer from Clemson hasn't scored in double figures, nor has he posted more than six rebounds or five assists in any of his first four appearances of the season. However, he's been a well-rounded contributor for the Bearcats, which has made him a solid DFS contributor. At his current salary on DraftKings, he would have provided nearly 5x value in each of his last three appearances. Illinois hasn't been particularly efficient on the defensive side of the ball this year, so Newman should have another chance to provide strong DFS value Monday.
A.J. Griffin, F, Duke ($3,600 DK)
The Blue Devils have the highest expected score of any team on Monday's slate, and they're also one of the most heavily-favored teams (-26.5) in their matchup against The Citadel. While their starters carry some risk given their high salaries combined with the likelihood of a lopsided score, Griffin has the potential to offer plenty of DFS value off the bench Monday. He leads Duke's bench players in usage across the first five games of the season and has averaged 18.5 minutes per game across his last two appearances, both blowout wins. Across those two matchups, he posted at least 19.5 DraftKings points in each contest. While Griffin's value is limited in more competitive matchups, he's a solid value play Monday in what's expected to be a blowout victory for Duke.
