The National Championship Game between Miami and Indiana kicks off on Monday night. These are my top targets and values for the final college football DFS contest of the season.
DraftKings has a CFB Showdown $400K Champ Bowl contest, with $100,000 going to first place. You can enter the contest for just $20.
Captain
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana ($17,400)
Fernando Mendoza was a worthy Heisman Trophy winner for his regular-season excellence, but he has been even better in the postseason. Mendoza has been nearly flawless over Indiana’s two College Football Playoff games. His numbers haven’t been gaudy because Indiana has held massive leads at halftime of both games. However, he has eight touchdown passes over the two contests with just five incompletions. That is a truly remarkable stat line for the future No. 1 overall pick.
This Miami defense could be his toughest test yet, but Mendoza should rise to the occasion. As has been the case all season, Indiana should lean on him in the red zone and he should throw several touchdowns against the Hurricanes. In the final college football DFS contest of the season, I wouldn’t send out any captain other than Mendoza.
Studs
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami ($9,800)
Malachi Toney has turned into a household name during this CFP run. Toney was fantastic for Miami all season but has made some breathtaking plays in the CFP, most notably the massive fourth-quarter touchdown against Ole Miss. The freshman has incredible confidence and should have no fear, even despite the opponent and the occasion. If Miami is to pull off this upset, it will need some special plays from its special players. Toney is the type of player who can turn a screen pass into a touchdown in an instant. Even if things go poorly for Miami, the Hurricanes will keep throwing all game and Toney should get plenty of touches. He is a playmaker who I want in my lineups for this game.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana ($8,400)
Omar Cooper Jr. had a fantastic season for Indiana. Perhaps his crowning moment, a remarkable game-winning touchdown against Penn State kept the Hoosiers’ perfect season alive. Cooper has a touchdown in 10 of his past 12 games, including in both playoff games so far. Fernando Mendoza has a lot of great targets to throw to, but he seems to always find Cooper in the end zone at some point. Mendoza tends to look his way in Indiana’s biggest games as well. Cooper had at least six catches against Illinois, Oregon and Penn State. The Hoosiers haven’t needed him much in the second half of these CFP games, but he has still managed to put a touchdown on the board in both. This should be a huge game for Cooper as Indiana looks to win the national title.
Values
CharMar Brown, RB, Miami ($6,200)
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. has been incredible during this playoff run. However, backup CharMar Brown has been an unsung hero behind Fletcher. Dating back to the regular season, Brown has a touchdown in four of his past five games. That includes scoring in both playoff games that he participated in, reaching paydirt against Ole Miss and Ohio State. He had one his biggest games of the season against the Rebels, taking 14 carries for 54 yards and a score, plus two receptions. Brown is a weapon who provides a different look than Fletcher, particularly as a receiver out of the backfield. Brown should get plenty of touches again and could see even more usage as a receiver if Miami is trailing in the second half.
Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana ($5,000)
Charlie Becker has been one of the breakout stars for Indiana over the past few games. Becker barely had a role in the offense to start the season, only making six catches through Indiana’s first nine games. He had his true breakout game against Penn State when he caught seven balls for 118 yards, outdoing his totals from the first nine weeks in one game. After that, Becker remained a big part of this offense. He had six catches for 126 yards against Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, then added a touchdown in both CFP games. He has been Mendoza’s best deep threat in the College Football Playoff and should provide a unique challenge for Miami in this game.
Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana ($3,000)
Riley Nowakowski has been another unsung hero of Indiana’s offense. Nowakowski is not an elite athlete and is not a regular part of the passing offense. However, Curt Cignetti uses him in big situations when Indiana needs a few yards. On third downs, Mendoza loves to get the ball to Nowakowski, who is always in the right place at the right time. Nowakowski has at least two catches in nine straight games, making him a reliable value play at this low price. He has found the end zone a couple of times this season, and in the biggest game of the year with high stakes, Cignetti could have a couple of special looks for him prepared.
