This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
DraftKings is running one of the largest Monday slates of the season, featuring only Power Five matchups. Most of the games are expected to be relatively competitive, as only one has a double-digit point spread. One of the featured contests on DraftKings is the $20K Heating Up, which pays out $5,000 to the winner. As always, the spreads and expected point totals for each team from RotoWire's Daily Matchups feature are included below:
Top Players
Caleb Love, G/F, North Carolina ($7,200 DK, $6,500 FD)
The Tar Heels have spread their production among several key players for most of the season, but Love has had relatively consistent results since the start of February while leading the team in usage across the last 10 games. He's scored in double figures in eight of his last nine appearances and has propped up his fantasy value due to his results in rebounds and assists. While Love has had a slightly lower floor than teammate Armando Bacot, he has relatively similar upside with a DFS salary that's $1,600 cheaper. North Carolina has the highest expected total on Monday's slate, so there should be plenty of production to go around against Louisville.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana ($9,000 DK, $8,300 FD)
Jackson-Davis was expected to be among the top players in the Big Ten heading into the season, and he's mainly lived up to the hype despite being occasionally overshadowed by sophomore Johnny Davis' breakout campaign. Jackson-Davis has the second-highest salary on Monday's slate, but he's been a consistent performer for the Hoosiers, as he's topped 30.0 DK points in 13 of his last 16 appearances. All three of his performances under that mark have come within the last eight games, but he's also posted just one double-double across those eight appearances. He'll have a chance to bounce back against the Buckeyes after posting 27 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and five blocks in 34 minutes during the team's win over Ohio State on Jan. 6. The Buckeyes aren't particularly effective on the boards, so Jackson-Davis should have the chance to complement his consistent scoring output during Monday's game.
Middle Tier
Jae'Lyn Withers, F, Louisville ($5,600 DK, $6,100 FD)
Withers has taken on a starting role in each of the last three games after Noah Locke had some lackluster performances in late-January and early-February. The redshirt sophomore has responded well, as he's posted at least 24.0 DK points in each of his three starts. He's fallen just short of double-doubles while averaging 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 28.3 minutes per game across his last three appearances. The Cardinals are fairly heavy underdogs against North Carolina on Monday, but Withers should have ample opportunities to contribute, particularly if he remains in the starting lineup.
Flo Thamba, F, Baylor ($5,800 DK, $5,500 FD)
Thamba has had an inconsistent role for the Bears for most of the season, but he's seen increased run across the last three games after Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua sustained a season-ending knee injury Feb. 12. Across those three appearances, he's scored in double figures twice while averaging 9.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 29.0 minutes per game. Oklahoma State isn't very proficient on the defensive boards, which bolsters Thamba's upside. In spite of his lackluster fantasy results earlier in the year, he's posted at least 19.3 DK points in each of the last three games and should continue to see an enhanced role in Baylor's frontcourt Monday.
Value Plays
Jalen Warley, G, Florida State ($4,200 DK)
Warley's DFS upside is somewhat dependent on the status of RayQuan Evans, who missed Saturday's loss to Duke with a knee injury that he sustained Tuesday against Clemson. Warley stepped up in Evans' absence Saturday with 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal in 35 minutes during the blowout loss. While Warley's outlook significantly decreases if Evans is available, it's possible that Florida State could limit Evans' workload even if he's able to return. Evans' status is definitely worth monitoring before committing to Warley in DFS lineups, but the freshman has been dominant when given increased playing time.
Frank Anselem, F, Syracuse ($3,900 DK)
Anselem has also seen increased looks recently with Jesse Edwards sidelined due to a wrist issue, and Edwards has now been ruled out for the season. Anselem has been inconsistent since joining the starting five, but he should retain his starting role in Edwards' continued absence. The sophomore put up 30.3 DK points during his first start of the year Feb. 12 by logging a season-high 15 rebounds in the loss. Although Syracuse was more effective as a team during Saturday's blowout win over Boston College, Anselem was limited to just 5.8 DK points. While Anselem's lackluster performance against Boston College was discouraging, he still offers decent DFS potential at his current salary.
