The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are in full swing, and and some fantasy owners are along for the ride.
Drivers are set to compete in Sunday’s ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as the chase for the Cup championship marches on. The first playoff race featured something NASCAR fans have gotten used to this season: Martin Truex Jr. finishing on top. And as Truex continues to distance himself from the rest of the field, the target on his bag will only get bigger.
With so much on the line for the 16 playoff drivers, anything is possible at the “Magic Mile,” which could make life difficult for fantasy owners. But that’s where we come in.
Whether you need help picking an A-List driver who has a shot at winning or an up-and-coming C-List racer who could help steal you some points, we’ve got you covered for the first round of your NASCAR fantasy playoffs. Here are the drivers you should give seats to, and the ones you shouldn’t, for Saturday’s race at New Hampshire:
Must pick: Kyle Busch
Pit road mistakes aside, Busch looked great at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday. We expect him to be even better in New Hampshire, though.
In his last nine starts at the “Magic Mile,” the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five finishes in the top three. He’s a two-time winner in Loudon, N.H., and also won the Xfinity Series race at the track in July. Busch has looked great on shorter tracks all season, and we think he has a great chance of visiting victory lane this weekend.
Stay away: Ryan Blaney
Don’t let the fact that he’s in the playoff field mislead you — Blaney hasn’t had a great season.
Sure, he has nine top-10 finishes, but the Wood Brothers Racing driver also has plenty of finishes in either the middle or the back of the pack. Furthermore, he’s yet to crack the top 10 in four races at New Hampshire, including a 19th-place finish back in July. There are far better B-List options this weekend.
Sleeper pick: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
If you’re looking to save your Kyle Larson or Chase Elliott starts, then Stenhouse makes for a fine fill-in B-List play.
The Roush Fenway Racing driver has cracked the top 15 in three of his last four races in Loudon, and easily could do the same Sunday. Yes, the Roush drivers haven’t looked great recently, but we still think Stenhouse has a chance to have a big day.
Value pick: Daniel Suarez
Listen, you can’t start Erik Jones every week. And when you’re looking for a fill-in, there’s no better option than Suarez.
His sample size in Cup races at the “Magic Mile” is small, but noteworthy. In his first start at the track in July, Suarez impressed on his way to a sixth-place finish. We expect a top-15 day out of him.
Thumbnail photo via Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports Images
