This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Monday's DFS slate features plenty of lopsided matchups, but there's an abundance of talent on the six-game DraftKings slate. While two of the teams playing Monday are favored by more than 30 points, there's still plenty of potential for DFS value among the players involved in those matchups.
Top Players
Oscar Tshiebwe, F, Kentucky ($9,800 DK)
Tshiebwe has the highest salary of any player on Monday's DFS slate, but he's been incredibly consistent for the Wildcats early in the season with double-doubles in five of his first six appearances. Kentucky is heavily favored (-31.5) against Central Michigan on Monday, but the transfer from West Virginia has remained productive when the Wildcats are blowing out opponents this year. Drafting Tshiebwe could mean making sacrifices in other parts of your lineup, but he's had a massive role to begin his time at Kentucky.
Kofi Cockburn, F, Illinois ($8,300 DK, $9,000 FD)
Cockburn has made just three appearances to begin the season following his three-game suspension, and his DFS salary still appears to be catching up. The junior has posted double-doubles in each of his last two appearances, and he's coming off an outing in which he dropped a team-high 38 points against UT Rio Grande Valley. Illinois and Notre Dame are expected to engage in one of the more competitive matchups on Monday's slate, and Cockburn will serve as the Fighting Illini's clear top option, particularly if Andre Curbelo (undisclosed) remains sidelined.
Middle Tier
Keegan Murray, F, Iowa ($5,900 DK, $9,500 FD)
Murray has a top-tier salary on FanDuel, but his salary on DraftKings falls squarely in the middle tier. As a result, he has the potential to be one of the top values for players on DraftKings on Monday. He's taken over as the top contributor for the Hawkeyes early in the 2021-22 campaign, and he's scored 20-plus points in each of his first six appearances of the season. Virginia and Iowa have the lowest expected total on Monday's slate, but the 1.5-point spread is the smallest of any matchup. At Murray's current salary, he would have provided at least 6.6x value in each of the first six games of the season, and he has plenty of potential Monday.
Eric Williams, F, Oregon ($5,600 DK)
Williams has struggled with ball control recently, as he has eight turnovers across his last two appearances. However, he's remained heavily involved for the Ducks, as he's played at least 34 minutes in each of the last two games and has posted five consecutive double-digit scoring totals. While both teams in Monday's matchup against Montana have a relatively slow pace, the redshirt senior should continue to have plenty of chances to contribute for Oregon.
Value Plays
Josh Bannan, F, Montana ($4,300 DK)
Bannan carries some DFS risk Monday since the Grizzlies have faced just one Power Five opponent across the first six games of the season, but the sophomore has led the team in usage early in the year. He's averaged 14.2 points and 9.2 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game to begin the season, and he has two double-doubles across his first six appearances. The Grizzlies are 13-point underdogs against the Ducks on Monday, but Bannan should continue to see ample work against Oregon.
Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame ($3,000 DK, $3,700 FD)
Wesley has had inconsistent production while coming off the bench in each of his first five collegiate appearances, but he's shown glimpses of promise to begin the season. He's put together back-to-back performances with double-digit scoring totals, and he's shot 50 percent from the floor during that time. While the freshman hasn't displayed the same consistency that some of the more established options on Monday's slate has shown, his minimal salary gives DFS managers more flexibility if they're looking to stack up on top-tier options like Oscar Tshiebwe or Kofi Cockburn.
