NASCAR XFINITY DFS: Boyd Gaming 300 DraftKings Preview
The XFINITY Series is back in action this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and for the third race in a row, we will have a companion event with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Needless to say, there are a few Cup regulars in the field for Saturday’s Boyd Gaming 300, and when you start assembling your lineups at DraftKings, you need to include a couple of them. Filling out the rest of your lineup will be easier said than done.
Vegas has a similar 1.5-mile layout to Atlanta Motor Speedway, but unlike last weekend’s race when there were several part-timers in great equipment in the field like Kyle Benjamin and John Hunter Nemechek, there aren’t nearly as many enticing cheaper options this time around.
You could go with a one-dominator lineup and load the rest of your lineup with some of the more reliable XFINITY regulars, but even if you nail the top scorer, there is a good chance that multiple Cup drivers score a substantial amount of dominator points.
Unless something unexpected goes on during qualifying, I’ll likely be going with a couple of Cup drivers at the top of my lineup. From there, I’ll be looking for a punt play to free up enough cap space to afford a couple of other quality options.
To help you set your XFINITY lineups at DraftKings, I’ve highlighted the drivers I’ll be targeting ahead of Saturday’s Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas.
Must Own Drivers
Kyle Busch ($15,000)
He’s a favorite to win whenever he races in the XFINITY Series, and while he was snake bit at his home-state track early in his career, Busch has been on a roll at Vegas recently. He has a 3.0 average finish in his last four starts here, winning the 2016 race and leading 30-plus laps three times. Dominator points are pretty much a given, and there is always a chance that Busch annihilates the competition. All that being said, his salary is massive. If it looks like he has the car to beat after practice and qualifying, you are going to have to get creative to field a decent lineup around him.
Kyle Larson ($12,600)
Larson has led laps in all three of his XFINITY starts at Vegas, and last year, he led 33 laps on his way to a second-place finish. He’s one of the favorites to win this weekend, and he could do so in dominating fashion while finishing as the top scorer at DraftKings.
Ryan Blaney ($10,100)
He’s only made one starts at Vegas in the XFINITY Series, but Blaney finished second in the 2015 race here. He’s also driving the Team Penske No. 22, one of the best rides in the series. Blaney will have a shot at the win and dominator points this weekend.
Austin Dillon ($9,400)
His numbers at Vegas in the XFINITY Series will stack up with any driver out there. In five starts, he has compiled a 4.8 average finish and has never finished worse than seventh. He absolutely clobbered the field here in 2015, leading 183 of the 200 laps, and followed up the win with fifth-place finishes in 2016 and 2017. With Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson both having huge salaries, Dillon offers the chance of discounted exposure to the dominator categories.
Value Plays
Justin Allgaier ($9,200)
Allgaier went from 17th to sixth at Atlanta, and if he happens to qualify deeper in the field again this weekend, you will want to have some exposure to him. Even if he qualifies well, he is still worth considering. He has two Top 10s in two starts at Vegas with JR Motorsports, including a fourth-place run last season. Allgaier is one of the few series regulars who can run in the Top 5 on a regular basis.
Cole Custer ($8,900)
John Hunter Nemechek ruin his race at Atlanta in the opening laps, but Custer should bounce back in a big way this weekend. No driver scored more points at the 1.5-mile tracks last year than Custer, and he got stronger as the year went on, capping the year with a dominating win at Homestead. At the very least, he should land in the Top 10, and he is one of the XFINITY regulars with legitimate potential to challenge for the win and earn some dominator points this weekend.
Christopher Bell ($8,700)
The rookie made it pretty clear at Atlanta that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with this year. He finished second in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and even led 12 laps. Even with several Cup drivers in the field, Bell has a great chance to come away with a Top 5 and some dominator points. I like the idea of using Bell as a pivot to one of the Cup drivers, and I think he’s a steal at this price.
Tyler Reddick ($8,200
Don’t let his 19th-place finish at Atlanta fool you. Reddick finished sixth in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and would have been in the mix for a Top 5 had he not cut a tire. He has posted strong numbers at the 1.5-mile tracks in his limited XFINITY starts, and I love him as a cheaper alternative to the top XFINITY regulars this weekend
Ryan Truex ($7,900)
Truex put together a solid run at Atlanta, starting 15th and coming home ninth. He should have Top 10 potential again at Vegas, so he’ll have plenty of fantasy appeal if he starts toward the middle of the pack. Truex offers you a chance to save a little cap space without taking a stab on a serious sleeper.
Brandon Jones ($7,300)
He didn’t have a great showing at Atlanta, but with so many high-priced drivers that deserve roster spots, Jones should be on your radar. He is driving Joe Gibbs Racing equipment, and that alone gives him a shot at a Top 10. Jones will be an easy play if he has a little place differential upside after qualifying.
Sleeper Specials
Spencer Gallagher ($6,900)
I wrote in my Atlanta preview that Gallagher could be a sneaky Top 15 option at the 1.5-mile tracks, and he came through with a 14th-place finish. His value obviously jumps if he has some differential upside after qualifying, but regardless, he should be a cheaper source of 20-plus fantasy points this weekend.
Alex Labbe ($5,900)
The reigning Pinty’s Series champ endeared himself to fantasy owners with his run at Atlanta, climbing from 33rd to finish 18th. His price tag has jumped a bit, but he’s still dirt cheap for a driver with Top 20 potential. If he starts deep in the field again at Vegas, I’ll be all over him as a source of cap relief
