This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
CBB DFS Picks & Preview: Best Plays for Monday's NCAA Tournament National Championship
After a pretty thrilling Final Four on Saturday, DraftKings appears to have saved the best for last, as Monday night's National Championship showdown slate between Florida and Houston comes with a massive $150,000 in total prize, $50,000 to first place and six prizes of $1,000 or greater. Only 20 percent of entries will cash however, so you'll have to find a way to build a different lineup.
We haven't broken down showdowns throughout the season, so a quick refresher first. You'll need one captain, who will both earn 1.5 fantasy points over base scoring, but also cost you 1.5x more. Round out your lineup with five utility options, so positions don't matter. The easiest way to be different will be to not use your full allotment of salary cap.
Now for the challenge. Across 200 minutes Saturday, Houston used its bench for 37 minutes. Florida saw its reserves get 49 minutes, with 25 coming from a surging Thomas Haugh ($15,000/$10,000). That seems to suggest we've got 11 players we can count on for minutes and production, and you'll need six. Sure, there are punt plays to take to free up spending, but's that's a less-than-ideal situation.
Further, both teams have elite lead guards that are the beyond obvious choices, as Captain or to be rostered in general. Florida's Walter Clayton ($17,400/$11,600) will likely be 100 percent rostered, and Houston's L.J. Cryer ($15,300/$10,200) likely won't be far behind. They're intentionally omitted from the rest of this column, as you don't need me to suggest them. It's going to be a tough call on if, and where, you roster both.
I'll add that as of Sunday afternoon, FanDuel doesn't have nearly the sexy prize pools available, but there are some intriguing contests that don't require you to beat nearly as many other lineups, and can help build bankroll as we head into spring's golf and baseball season.
For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, player performance and the transfer portal, head RotoWire's latest college basketball news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.
CBB DFS Captain
J'Wan Roberts, Houston ($12,000/$8,000)
If you're not captain-ing any of the three names above, Roberts is a high-ceiling option, which generally isn't my style, as I prefer to be safe here and take a more consistent player. That really doesn't exist with the Cougars, whose guards do little more than score, as the team ranks 311th in assists to made field goals. Enter Roberts, who could encounter foul trouble and bomb, or he could flirt with 40 fantasy points (60 as a captain) as he's done twice in this tournament run. He's seen an uptick in facilitation, averaging 3.5 assists over his last four to go with 10.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. I'm not confident anyone else in this game has double-double potential.
Alijah Martin, Florida ($12,600/$8,400)
Martin has scored in double-figures in 11 straight, and while he's averaging a career-low 4.6 rebounds after going for over five in three straight seasons at FAU, you have to think the Gators' guards get more active on the glass given Houston's offensive rebounding prowess. Martin has more than three fouls just three times this year, so his 30+ minutes are safe, as are likely double-digit attempts even if the game is played slower than Florida would like. He seems to offer a nice mix of floor an ceiling at a discount to the top-priced options.
Try our College Basketball DFS Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool and generate up to 150 lineups.
CBB DFS Utility Options
Alex Condon, Florida ($11,400/$7,600)
Condon deserves space in this column for the wrong reasons. He looks completely lost offensively right now, averaging just 6.2 points over his last five, adding 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 blocks while losing clutch time minutes to Hough. He was highlighted in my Saturday column unsuccessfully. The thought process remains the same; no one wants him, and at this price, I'd be shocked if he garnered 35 percent roster numbers, a super low number given how clear the rotations are in this game. He's a must-use in a handful of lineups if you're a multi-entry player, while single-entry players like myself have to ask if they can justify the risk/price with the potentially single-digit floor.
Emanuel Sharp, Houston ($10,500/$7,000)
Sharp does nothing peripherally, keeping him out of captain consideration, but over his last nine games, he's averaging 15.8 points, 11.6 FGA and shooting 41.0 percent from 3-point range while topping 30 minutes. Just two of those nine have resulted in more than 24.0 DKP, again, showing he's not someone we want as a multiplier, but just a vital cog in the Cougars attack that we likely have to roster.
Joseph Tugler, Houston ($9,000/$6,000)
Tugler is averaging a modest 4.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks over his last nine while playing 22.3 minutes nightly. He hasn't had a game with less than 10.5 DKP in that stretch and has given a 3x or better return in five outings. He feels like a must-use lower end option, and while handcuffing seems like a season-long, football strategy, he's the cuff to Roberts if he lands in foul trouble. 15 fantasy points is all we're hoping for, and he's one of the Cougars' few options that seems to have diverse path to getting there.
Micah Handlogten, Florida ($3,900/$2,600)
Handlogten is here as merely a placeholder. He's the lowest option you can realistically consider, and easily provides a 2x floor in less than 10 minutes. The problem becomes strategy, as everyone else knows what I just wrote, will roster him as their punt, while paying up for higher-ceiling plays. That's where we can find an edge and potentially make a different lineup and win. Use the likes Rueben Chinyelu ($6,300/$4,200) with more middle-tier options, leave some money on the table, and you'll have a different build.
Take advantage of the best March Madness betting promos to maximize your potential earnings in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
