The rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for that day. The ordering is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the value of each driver.
The DraftKings SpeedyCash.com 220 slate locks at 1:09 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NTS $50K Octane [$10K to 1st] (Trucks)
1. John H. Nemechek ($10,900) — There’s nothing left for Nemechek to prove. In less than a half of a season, he’s demonstrated he is the best driver in the Truck Series. It’s one thing to beat the regulars, but beating Kyle Busch is a big deal. Nemechek should be able to hold off Chase Elliott this weekend.
2. Chase Elliott ($11,800) — He won at Charlotte in the Truck Series last season. In the next race at Atlanta, he was running second until a bad pit stop and a late-race spin. In his final race, he finished fourth as Kyle Busch ran away the win. Busch isn’t racing at Texas, so Elliott will be a favorite to win this week.
3. Ross Chastain ($10,200) — He’s been pretty close to a win several times this season in the Truck Series. Chastain can make very good equipment look like great equipment. He can also put that equipment into the wall. With Chastain’s starting position, DFS players want a top-five finish, but they know Chastain doesn’t want a top 5. It’s all or nothing for him.
4. Grant Enfinger ($9,400) — Three of his last four races have been in a Rohrbaugh truck, and two of those finishes were outside of the top 10. A 17th and a 14th-place finish at intermediate tracks are not bad in Rohrbaugh equipment. Enfinger has proven he is a very good driver this season by earning solid finishes in weak equipment. This experience might end up making him a better driver.
5. Matt Crafton ($9,200) — This seems like the perfect time to play Crafton. He’s usually too expensive and starting too close to the front. Crafton is always a safe bet for finishing position points, but he normally cannot score hog points (fast laps and laps led points) or place differential points. At Texas, he’ll have an opportunity to score place differential points.
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6. Sheldon Creed ($10,500) — This team could have sponsorship, but they’re too proud to take low-ball offers. The lack of sponsorship does not seem to have hurt the equipment. Creed is as fast as last season, but the problem is last season, there wasn’t a John Hunter Nemechek competing.
7. Austin Hill ($10,000) — With Chastain and Elliott entering this race, Hill takes a back seat. The Hattori No. 16 truck might be the best intermediate track truck in the series, but Hill doesn’t have the talent to beat Nemechek and the Cup drivers.
8. Todd Gilliland ($8,800) — His COTA win doesn’t mean much, but the rest of his races over the last two months do. He has finished sixth or better in five of the last six races. Yes, Gilliland is the hottest driver in the Truck Series. Go ahead and fact check it. It’s true!
9. Ben Rhodes ($9,600) — Don’t let his first two races be a distraction. The initial reaction is Rhodes isn’t really a two-race winner and he’s just lucky. The truth is he is better than a two-race winner and has taken a big step forward developmentally. Rhodes has a second-place finish and a third-place finish in the last two intermediate track races.
10. Chandler Smith ($8,600) — His price might be a little low based on talent and equipment, but when compared to other drivers with a better opportunity to score fantasy points, his price seems right. Smith will have a breakthrough race eventually, but this Texas race is crowded with talent.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NTS $50K Octane [$10K to 1st] (Trucks)
11. Johnny Sauter ($8,300) — His teammates, Matt Crafton and Grant Enfinger, are starting in similar positions. They’re both significantly more expensive because they have consistently been better. Sauter has the same upside at a lower price, but he has a much lower floor.
12. Stewart Friesen ($9,000) — His price is very similar to the price for Matt Crafton and Grant Enfinger. A strong argument can be made that both Crafton and Enfinger are better drivers and have better equipment than Friesen. Even if that’s debatable, their starting positions of 15th and 18th, respectively, make them vastly better DFS plays.
13. Zane Smith ($9,800) — Not only is Zane Smith still searching for his first win this season, but he’s still looking for his first top-five finish. GMS was on top of the world last season, now they run blank white trucks and their young promising drivers are all plateauing.
14. Drew Dollar ($7,400) — Could Dollar have been a contender at Charlotte if he didn’t wreck in practice? Young part-time drivers have struggled in the No. 51 KBM truck without practice. Dollar got to practice, but he wrecked a couple laps into practice. His price seems too high for a driver that is clearly buying a seat rather than earning it by winning in the lower series.
15. Brennan Poole ($7,000) — DFS players have missed Poole. He was a popular target driving for Steven Lane last season. He didn’t always get the finish he deserved, but from the DFS perspective, it always feels better to roster good drivers. Picking a cheap truck driver and hoping the rest of the punts wreck isn’t the best experience.
16. Austin Wayne Self ($6,300) — It’s been so tough to play Self this season. He’s always cheap, but he’s always starting too close to the front. Somehow, he’s managed to average a 16th-place finish in his 10 races this season. If he finishes in 16th this week, that’s 24 fantasy points and a spot in a dead lineup.
17. Carson Hocevar ($7,700) — This is strange. Hocevar has regularly been priced in the $5K range when starting around 15th place. He’s starting third this week and is almost $8K. Like the rest of us, DraftKings just realized the kid is pretty good, but he’s not this good.
18. Tanner Gray ($7,200) — Last season, Gray was a regular 15th-place finisher. This season, the team struggled over their first six races (average finish of 21st), so DGR-Crosley decided to switch crew chiefs. Over the last four races, Gray’s average finishing position is 26th.
19. Josh Berry ($8,400) — Two months ago, some fans were worried if we would ever see Berry race in NASCAR again. Now, the guy won’t stay away. He’s hanging out in the parking lot at each track until he gets a ride. The Rackley W.A.R. No. 25 truck has finished on the lead lap four times this season, and each of those races were filled with wrecks and plenty of caution laps.
20. Chase Purdy ($6,600) — Be honest, how many of your lineups has Purdy destroyed this season? Do you want to do it again? He’s driving GMS equipment and he’s starting near the back. The price is so appealing, but he’s averaging a 27th-place finish.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NTS $50K Octane [$10K to 1st] (Trucks)
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