NASCAR action is back this weekend, with the next big race coming from Daytona International Speedway with the Coke Zero 400. Many of the daily fantasy sites that offer NASCAR have changed up their rankings for this weekend’s race, so be sure to look at our analysis before you finalize your roster for your own fantasy NASCAR lineup.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt is ranked as the number one driver for Saturday night, according to DraftKings. His salary of $10,600 is the highest that he’s been at all season, and even though he’s improved a ton from a fantasy point of view throughout the season, we don’t feel that he’s quite ready for this price tag. For example, last weekend, he finished 11th, and scored just 38 fantasy points. He has been in 19 races this season, and has made the top ten only 8 times. He does have a win, but it was over a month ago. And of his last four races, there’s only been one top ten finish. We’re definitely passing on him, looking for cheaper opportunities with better chances of putting up points.
Kurt Busch: One of those cheaper opportunities is Kurt Busch. Busch has a salary of just $9,100, but has a ton more fantasy potential than most of the people ranked above him. He has an average finishing position of 8.0, and has made the top ten in 17 out of 19 races. Of his last four races, he has a win, a 6th, and two 10th place finishes. His average fantasy contribution per race this year is 45.5 points, which is far better than most of the people that are more expensive than him. At this price, Busch is a steal and we cannot think of a single reason why you shouldn’t draft him. Yes, there are others that might finish above him, but at this price, he’s probably the best value you will find.
Brad Keselowski: The only driver with more potential value in this race than Busch is Keselowski. His salary of $8,900 is extremely competitive, and he’s only a step behind Busch. His average finishing spot is 9.9, he has averaged 43.3 points per race, and he has made the top ten in 12 out of 19 races. For our money, that’s a great return, but you can judge for yourself.
Kevin Harvick: Harvick has been a kind of mystery to us the last few weeks. He’s ranked at number two for this race with a salary of $10,300. He has an average finishing position of 8.1, which is the second best in the race, and has averaged 66.9 fantasy points per race, which is the best here. He’s made the top ten 14 out of 19 times, and has a win. He’s clearly a great fantasy choice here, and we’re picking him well before we pick Earnhardt. His finishes over his last four races have been 6th, 5th, 9th, and 2nd, with only his 9th place finish giving us a negative differential. He’s a strong racer, and should probably be about $200 more expensive than he is. That’s a small discount, but one worth taking.
Joey Logano: Logano is on a roll, and for once, he is actually overpriced. Unfortunately, that means we’re passing on him. Before you do, look at his stats. His salary is $9,700. He has made the top ten 13 out of 19 times, and has an average finishing spot of 9.6. In other words, when he doesn’t make the top ten, he’s right outside of it. He’s averaging 43.0 fantasy points per race, has won two races, and his worst finish in his last four races is 9th. That’s strong, but he’s a bit more expensive than other drivers who have had similar results. If you can fit him in, he won’t disappoint, but there are other drivers who can do just as well or better, and you won’t need to spend as much on them.
