The DFS NASCAR rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR salaries. The order is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the DFS value of each driver.
The DraftKings NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas slate locks at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $400K ENGINEER [$100K TO 1ST] (CUP)
1. Austin Cindric ($8,800) — There are new road course rules this season. Stage break cautions are dead. No more short pitting and flipping stages. No more cruising to the pre-set caution. The best drivers with the best cars will rule at COTA. It doesn’t get much better than Cindric and Penske on road courses.
2. Kyle Larson ($10,400) — The 2022 season was all over the place for Larson. His 2022 road course results were disappointing, but 2021 was a different story. He went from a decent road racer to the highest rated in 2021. The 2022 package added downforce at the road courses, NASCAR is going back to low downforce in 2023.
3. AJ Allmendinger ($9,700) — This isn’t an Xfinity Series layup for Kaulig Racing, but Allmendinger has proven that the Kaulig cars can compete in Cup Series road races. He won the Cup race at Indy in 2021 and was one of the highest rated drivers in the six road course races last season.
4. Michael McDowell ($7,100) — Everyone knows that McDowell is a good road course driver. Does everyone know that he is one of the best? This could be an overreaction to last season, but he was the third-highest rated driver at road courses last season.
5. Tyler Reddick ($9,900) — What will DFS players do with Reddick? After struggling on the road courses in the Xfinity Series, he made it a mission to improve. Not only did he improve, but he became one of the best. He won two road races in 2022. Easy DFS NASCAR pick? Not so fast. He’s now with Toyota and they struggled at road courses in 2022.
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6. Ross Chastain ($10,100) — Trackhouse Racing — led by former road course ringer Justin Marks — was strong at the road courses in 2022. Daniel Suarez won at Sonoma, and Chastain earned a win at COTA through some aggressive driving.
7. Daniel Suarez ($9,000) — In the six road course races in 2022, Suarez ran 52% of his laps inside the top 10 (sixth). He won at Sonoma and has road course experience dating back to his formative years racing in Mexico.
8. Christopher Bell ($9,300) — The JGR Toyotas struggled at the road courses in the Gen 7 car. However, even with lackluster equipment, Bell was a top-10 driver at the road courses last season. He has a road course win in the Xfinity Series (Road America) and the Cup Series (Daytona Road Course).
9. Kyle Busch ($10,200) — Forget about last season. Busch’s Toyota was not a race-winning ride on the road. This season, he slides into an RCR Chevy that won two road course races in 2022.
10. Chris Buescher ($7,700) — This will be a hot topic. Is Buescher a good road racer or just a stage flipper? Sure, he’s able to play defense and hold position, but can he make passes? Can he play defense with tires that are used up by moving forward via on-track passes?
11. Ryan Blaney ($9,100) — He’s not an elite road course racer, but he does have a road course win and consistently runs up front. Also, he knows his way around the Circuit of the Americas. He won the pole in 2022.
12. William Byron ($9,500) — For years, Byron’s been on the verge of becoming a top-tier road racer, but he’s never had his breakout. NASCAR’s switch to pure racing by removing artificial cautions could be just what Byron needs.
13. Ty Gibbs ($6,600) — Friday’s practice session will answer a lot of questions. The JGR Toyotas were slow at the road courses last season. If they’re back up to speed, then Gibbs is too cheap. He competed in three Cup Series road races last season subbing for Kurt Busch. He was a winner in his first ever Xfinity Series race in 2021, and that was at a road course. He’s been one of the best road racers in the Xfinity Series over the last two seasons.
14. Kimi Raikkonen ($7,000) — Picking Cup Series ringers has not been a successful strategy in DFS NASCAR. Even international superstars struggle when they’re driving a jalopy. The former F1 Champion is in a different position. He’s racing for a successful road racing team (Trackhouse Racing) and the new rules favor racing skill and equipment.
15. Alex Bowman ($8,600) — Tyler Reddick put in the work and had a breakout season at the road courses in 2022. Alex Bowman is putting in the work. He ran road races in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series last season. He has the car (Hendrick) but can he develop the top-tier talent?
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $400K 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.