The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is heading South, as drivers are set to compete in Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Following a stop at Martinsville Speedway, where anything can happen, fantasy players likely will have an easier time setting their lineups for Sunday. Brad Keselowski is coming off his second win of the 2017 season, the only driver with multiple victories thus far. There have been a lot of surprises and disappointments so far, which can make setting your lineups a bit of a headache.
You might have a budget, or you might have a limit to the amount of times you can pick a given driver. Whatever your league’s format, we’ve got you covered in determining which drivers to give seats to Sunday, and which ones to stay away from.
Must pick: Kyle Busch
Emotionally, Kyle Busch has been all over the place this season. When it comes to racing, however, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been stellar, despite having yet to take a checkered flag.
A trip to Fort Worth, Texas, might be just what the doctor ordered for Busch, as he’s the defending winner of Sunday’s race, and has five-straight top-five finishes at the track. We like Busch’s chances to get back into victory lane.
Stay away: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
At some point Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s struggles this season need to stop being written off as a product of spending so much time away from the sport. Currently sitting 25th in the Cup standings, frustration might be starting to mount for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, something Ryan Blaney found out the hard way
Until he shows signs of life, fantasy owners should keep Earnhardt out of their lineups.
Sleeper pick: Clint bower
Currently sitting 8th in the Cup standings, Bowyer has quietly had a great start to the season. The 37-year-old Stewart-Haas Racing driver certainly has the ability to wind up in the top 10 Sunday, and if things break his way, this is just the type of race the veteran driver could win.
Value pick: Erik Jones
Rookie drivers Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Ty Dillon all are still available for cheap in most fantasy leagues, and all have been very impressive this season. In our opinion, however, Jones has been the most impressive of the three.
The 20-year-old driver has shown the ability to hold his own against some of the sport’s veterans, and his No. 77 Toyota has shown a lot of speed at times. We think Jones will have a great showing Sunday, and is more than a safe bet to finish in the top 20.
Thumbnail photo via Michael Shroyer/USA TODAY Sports Images
