Get your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR picks and lineup advice from the (self-proclaimed) experts in time for night racing at Richmond.
Good news, DraftKings fantasy NASCAR fans: You probably won’t have to wait until Monday to find out if you cash in your competitions this week. Richmond Raceway is expecting clear, gorgeous weather for the Toyota Owners 400, perfect for racing under the lights.
The most interesting situation this week is what to do with Kyle Busch, the most expensive driver but one who might be worth it because he’s going for three straight wins. His trouble in qualifying strangely makes him even more attractive in a fantasy NASCAR sense, because he can gain a ton of extra points making it to the front from his 32nd starting spot, and Richmond doesn’t tend to be as bunched up and dangerous as Bristol for drivers attempting to do that.
If you play Kyle Busch, you’ll need someone else starting toward the front to get you early points for laps led, so that should be one of the interesting dilemmas we all face this week. Let’s get into our thoughts.
Important note: Taking the lead from other FanSided.com DFS writers, we’re not going to give you a copy/paste lineup, though we will give you a sample lineup with picks that we feel good about that fits under the price cap. Let’s get to it!
Premium drivers (salary above $9,000)
Kyle Busch ($11,400) – If it were someone else, we’d be concerned. But Rowdy is simply amazing in this race, which he once won four consecutive years. Unless he encounters a wreck not of his own making or an equipment failure, he’s going to pass a ton of cars and head to the front. The question is whether you can afford him — or afford to bet against him?
Kyle Larson ($10,100) – Just seems like a man on a mission right now, determined to not only recapture his 2017 form but also not let the other Kyle keep beating him. The 42 team still has some issues to work out at intermediate tracks but seems on its game at short tracks, as he showed last week.
Joey Logano ($9,500) – Quietly consistent, Logano hasn’t finished worse than eighth in this race since 2012. He also won here last year, though the victory was later wiped from his playoff qualifications thanks to a post-race violation. That doesn’t matter to you, though.
Chase Elliott ($9,300) – Even more to prove than Larson, but with a more distressing habit of finding wrecks this season. Hasn’t been great in this race, so more of a gamble than the other three names above him here, but if you are looking for another top tier guy to lead laps while you wait for KB to find his way forward, Elliott, and not pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr., feels like the pick.