The rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for Sunday. The order is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the value of each driver.
The DraftKings NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas slate locks at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $500K ENGINEER [$100K TO 1ST] (CUP)
1. Kyle Busch ($10,900) — In a word — simpatico. Kyle Busch and crew chief Randall Burnett could be a dangerous combo. RCR is back and Busch is a streaky driver. In the low-downforce seasons from 2016 to 2018, Busch’s wins often came in bunches.
2. Chase Elliott ($10,100) — Speaking of streaky drivers, Elliott is one of the streakiest drivers ever. When he is dialed in, he can’t lose. At the end of the Auto Club race, Elliott was locked in. He couldn’t run Busch down, but he was close.
3. Kyle Larson ($10,700) — Nothing has changed. Larson is still suffering from an excessive amount of mechanical failures, but he is still one of the fastest drivers in one of the fastest cars in the Cup Series. DNFs happen. Shake it off. When Larson got back on the track last week, he was ticking off fast laps.
4. Ross Chastain ($10,300) — The Trackhouse Chevys are fast and Chastain just keeps getting better. It’s hard to view Chastain as a superstar after watching him slug around in inferior equipment for years. DFS players simply have to erase those memories. Imagine what the perspective on Chastain would be if he had started his career with a top-tier team? Also, he was amazing in both Las Vegas races last season.
5. Ryan Blaney ($9,700) — At Auto Club, Blaney’s top-5 car was ruined in the massive restart wreck (this new restart rule is going to be fun). Last fall at Las Vegas, Blaney led the second-most laps, but his race was ruined by a wreck.
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6. Daniel Suarez ($7,600) — There is leverage with this pick. Similar to his Trackhouse teammate (Ross Chastain), Suarez carries baggage that influences his ownership. His JGR and SHR opportunities did not work out. DFS players hold these failures against him. Suarez isn’t failing now. He could become a star this season.
7. Martin Truex, Jr ($9,500) — If not for bad luck, he would have no luck at all. Truex was fast last week but his pit crew killed him (two penalties). Last season at Las Vegas, Truex had a race-winning car in both races but pit road mistakes derailed his chances.
8. Kevin Harvick ($8,600) — Is Happy back? He’s not done. Harvick won’t win a handful of races, but will anyone in this package? He’s capable of leading laps, but if the fast groove moves up to the wall, then this might not be his week.
9. Denny Hamlin ($9,900) — Speed can be obscured by small moments. Hamlin, like the rest of the JGR Toyotas, could have won the spring 2022 Las Vegas race, but he ruined his car getting off pit road late in the race. In the fall race, a poor Saturday session buried Hamlin in the field at the beginning of the race.
10. Alex Bowman ($8,500) — Get ready to be reminded of Alex Bowman’s backdoor wins. Bowman stole a win at Las Vegas last spring. However, just like his other backdoor wins, Bowman put himself in position to be a thief.
11. Austin Dillon ($8,100) — If Kyle Busch is projected to run well then so will Dillon. Most DFS players are reluctant to roster Dillon. They don’t trust him or RCR, but this looks like a new team. The RCR Chevys are clearly on the upward swing, and Dillon has been strong at Las Vegas — eight top-15 finishes in the last 10 races.
12. Joey Logano ($10,500) — The world has learned that conspiracies cannot be dismissed out of hand. NASCAR fans have known this for years. The Pennzoil sponsored car tends to win the Pennzoil sponsored race at a disproportionate rate. Logano won at Las Vegas last fall, but that race was sponsored by South Point.
13. Justin Haley ($5,900) — This might be a little off the board, but those picks are often the best decisions in DFS. Haley said his car had speed last week but his race was ruined by the “Big One” wreck at Fontana. Last fall at Las Vegas, Haley started 28th but his average running position was 15th.
14. AJ Allmendinger ($6,100) — Both of the Kaulig Racing cars had their days at Auto Club ruined by wrecks. The public does not know the speed that these cars may possess. Last fall, both Kaulig Racing cars started deep in the field at Las Vegas, but they ran inside the top 20 all race long and found their way into the optimal lineup.
15. Christopher Bell ($9,300) — There are a lot of top-tier drivers that did not make the cut. Tyler Reddick ($8,800), William Byron ($9,100) and several others are unranked. Bell gets the nod based on JGR’s speed at Las Vegas last season.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $500K ENGINEER [$100K TO 1ST] (CUP)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.