Draftkings NASCAR Optimal Lineup for Kansas

Draftkings NASCAR Optimal Lineup for Kansas
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Fantasy Racing Preview
Sunday October 18th, 2:31PM (EST) at Kansas Speedway
by Jay Horne of NASCARWagers.com, NASCAR Handicapping Service

Tomorrow afternoon the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will drop the green flag on the 2nd race in the Contender Round with the running of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. With just 1 week remaining before a free-for-all at Talladega, we take this time to take advantage over another 1.5 mile track while building our best fantasy roster for Kansas. Last week our roster struck misfortune as two of our drivers found trouble with wrecks. However, this week we look to get back on track and put together a juggernaut fantasy team that is sure to put you in the money. Take a look at our Draftkings NASCAR optimal lineup for Kansas Speedway!

One thing that may be worth noting for tomorrow’s race is the parity that has been on top of the speed charts this weekend. We have seen several different drivers look decent at times throughout the weekend’s practices and I would say very few cars have looked to have “winning” potential. The good news from a fantasy standpoint is that means that we have a wide array of drivers to choose from to fill our lineup. One of the guys that I believe everyone will need on their lineup is the #48 of Jimmie Johnson. Outside of last year’s 40th place finish, Johnson has been great at Kansas finishing in the top 10 in 12 of the last 13 races. I have been waiting for the 6 time champion to get a little revenge on his early exit in the Chase and this could be the week. Johnson drove the #48 to victory lane back in May and he could easily do the same again this week because the #48 has had plenty of speed. Johnson’s 21st place starting position will only help his fantasy stock as he should benefit off the pass differential.

While I believe Jimmie Johnson is a big threat to win tomorrow, there are plenty of guys that should match his fantasy value. Brad Keselowski has shown a lot of speed this weekend and will be starting on the pole. The blue deuce was fast on single lap speed but was searching for race speed. However, it is worth noting that Keselowski has not practiced great at all in recent weeks but has still run strong once the green flag has dropped. Therefore he should still have plenty of value starting from the pole. I did not use Matt Kenseth in this week’s roster but I believe he would be a better option from a fantasy standpoint if you can find a way to fit him in your roster.

The rest of my lineup consist of Martin Truex Jr, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Ryan Blaney. I believe Truex is a big sleeper this week. The #78 has finished no worse than 13th in any Chase race thus far and finished 3rd at Charlotte last week. The #78 has shown a lot of speed this weekend along with several other Chevrolet drivers for the first time in weeks. One trend that I has stood out this season is the #78 has been very good when the Chevrolets are running well. I got Dale Earnhardt Jr on a bounce back race and he looked strong at the end of Happy Hour. Ryan Blaney has not been the greatest fantasy driver in his limited role this season but he has plenty of speed to get a quality finish so his $5,300 salary may be the best value on the board. From there, we filled our lineup with Ricky Stenhouse Jr who just so happened to have one of his best practice sessions of the summer.

If you are looking for a few guys to swap out, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin would be go to choices. I love backing Rowdy anytime his back is against the wall and the #18 team is definitely in one of those situations. Busch seemed to pick up some speed in final practice and posted his best finish at Kansas in this race one year ago with a 3rd place showing. Denny Hamlin is another guy that I think will fly under most people’s fantasy radars this week but deserves attention. Hamlin has run really well on similar surfaces this season with a win at Chicagoland and a 4th place finish most recently last week at Charlotte. Both the #18 or the #11 should be strong candidates for a starting position on fantasy rosters this week. Additionally if you are looking for another low tier driver with some value, consider Aric Almirola. At just $6,400, Almirola has posted top 12 finishes in each of the last 3 races at 1.5 mile tracks and has finished inside the top 10 in 4 of the last 5 races as well.

Do not miss out on the fun any longer. Get in on tons of daily fantasy sports contests for all sports with Draftkings. Sign-up through the banner below for an instant free entry into the NASCAR $100,000 guaranteed and get the best free deposit bonuses currently offered!