The rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for Friday. The ordering is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the value of each driver.
The DraftKings NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona slate locks at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NXS $70K Piston [$20K to 1st] (XFIN)
1. Justin Haley ($10,600) — Kaulig Racing became plate racing royalty with Haley as their king from 2018 to 2021. During his reign, he won four plate races and earned nine top-10 finishes in his last 10 races.
2. AJ Allmendinger ($10,200) — Through 12 Xfinity Series plate races, Allmendinger has been an optimal play seven times. The Kaulig Racing cars are fast at the plate tracks.
3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($9,600) — Two Stenhouse plate races at Daytona? That’s what we’re talking about! He’s either going to sweep the weekend or pieces of his wreckage will be swept up both nights.
4. Austin Hill ($10,000) — For whatever reason, many people do not buy into Hill. However, this weekend, everyone is buying. Hill has won a plate-track race in the Truck Series and he has two Xfinity Series plate-track wins in his rookie season.
5. Noah Gragson ($9,400) — He won at Daytona in 2020 and Talladega in 2022. The race winner is always in the optimal lineup in the Xfinity Series. Place differential is important but DFS players need to pick the winner, too.
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6. Justin Allgaier ($9,200) — The current Xfinity Series leader almost did not make the rankings. His plate-track stats are not compelling. He does not have a favorable narrative this weekend. How’s this for a narrative — he’s the best driver in the series.
7. Ty Gibbs ($10,400) — His first plate races at Talladega and Daytona have not gone well, but Gibbs won the first race at Atlanta. His JGR car will have race-winning speed, but it takes a lot to beat the Kaulig Racing cars.
8. Landon Cassill ($8,100) — Anyone can earn a top-10 finish at a plate track in a Kaulig Racing car. This shouldn’t discount what Cassill has accomplished in four plate races this season — finishes of eighth, fourth, 14th and fourth.
9. Josh Berry ($9,000) — Don’t bet against Jr Motorsports in 2022. This is a stacked field, but Berry is getting better at plate-track racing. He finished second in the last plate-track race (Atlanta).
10. John Hunter Nemechek ($9,800) — No one would consider JHN to be a safe driver. He is reckless and aggressive. That’s the driver archetype that wins Xfinity plate races. The winner has to be willing to ruffle some feathers during the final laps.
11. Daniel Hemric ($8,200) — Only Hemric could find a way to underperform in a Kaulig Racing car at a plate track. He did finish fifth in the most recent plate race (Atlanta).
12. JJ Yeley ($5,700) — Going back to 2014 (19 races), Yeley has two top-10 finishes at the plate tracks. However, he has earned a top-10 DFS score eight times with seven optimal lineup appearances.
13. Anthony Alfredo ($6,600) — No one should mistake Alfredo for being a good driver or his Our Motorsports car with being good equipment. This weekend is different. The drivers and equipment are close. Alfredo has three top-10 finishes in five plate races.
14. Ryan Sieg ($7,500) — He’s running hot at the plate tracks this season. Sieg has earned a top-15 finish at all four plate-track races with an average finish of 10th.
15. Joe Nemechek ($6,300) — It’s Front Row Joe, the 58-year-old legend gets a blurb regardless of his current talent level. Joe finished 15th at Daytona in 2020, so he’s still got it. Also, he’s in good equipment (Sam Hunt Racing Toyota).
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NXS $70K Piston [$20K to 1st] (XFIN)
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