This weekend, NASCAR action comes to us from the x for the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400. Before you draft your daily fantasy NASCAR team, take a look at our analysis of five of the top drivers entered for Sunday’s race.
Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 3rd last weekend, despite being ranked much lower than normal. This week, he’s again ranked pretty low at fourth overall with a salary of $10,100. His average finishing position is 11.6, and he’s only scoring 44.3 fantasy points per race, but this is a very cheap price for Johnson, especially if he is now performing at a top level again. He has only made the top ten on 7 out of 16 races, but when he is driving well, he is always a threat for the win. We like Johnson at this price, and this is probably the cheapest that he will be for the remainder of the season. He has been a bit hit or miss this year, but his past successes are beginning to outweigh that once he dips down under $10,500.
Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex is having a great last several races, causing him to be priced at $10,300 this weekend. He won last weekend, and in his 16 races so far this season, he has 6 top ten finishes. His average fantasy score per race is a strong 55.7 points, but that’s inflated heavily because he scored 197 last week. While there’s no debate that Truex is talented, there is a question whether he is worth drafting at this price. If he can score that huge number of points again, we’d be willing to spend $14,000 on him. However, that payday seems like an anomaly. Does he have the potential to finish in the top ten this weekend? Yes, for sure. But, we don’t think that his fantasy payout is going to be anywhere near where it was. His average finishing place is 11.9, so we aren’t convinced he’s a good pick at this price just yet. We’ll pass on him as he seems like a gamble right now.
Kevin Harvick: Harvick’s ranked number one this weekend with a salary of $10,400. There’s a good reason for this. He has made the top ten on 11 out of 16 occasions, has the highest average fantasy point total in the field with his 69.0, and has an average finishing position of 8.3. Last race, he finished 2nd, and scored a total of 67.0 points. That seems low, but it’s mostly because he didn’t lead a single lap during the race. Harvick is consistent, and his fantasy point total is always high, even when he doesn’t finish in the top ten. We like him, and we would draft him before Truex any day, even if he is $100 more. The problem that we have with Harvick is simply the fact that he’s the most expensive driver in the field. If you are able to find good value in other places, this shouldn’t stop you from drafting him.
Chase Elliott: Speaking of good value, take a look at Elliott. At $8,400, he is priced right at the middle of the pack. But his average fantasy point contribution of 36.9 points is far higher than those priced near him. He also has an average finishing position of 11.1, which is far more competitive than others at the same price. He’s made the top ten 12 out of 16 times, and we can’t think of a single reason to not draft him. He’s a very high value pick.
Brad Keselowski: Keselowski is another high value pick, although not at the same level as Elliott. His price of $9,100 is far lower than it should be though. He’s made the top ten 10 out of 16 times, has an average fantasy point contribution of 43.5, and has an average finishing place of 10.4. He’s a talented driver and priced far below where he should be. The Keselowski/Elliott combo should give you plenty of opportunities at the top of your roster while still giving you power in the middle.
