This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Pocono Organics 225
Location: Long Pond, Pa.
Course: Pocono Raceway
Format: 2.5-mile tri-oval
Laps: 90
Race Preview
Justin Haley held off the field last week at Talladega to earn his first win of the season and secure his spot in the playoff picture. He led 16 laps and won after a competitive early start to the season. Ross Chastain was second in that race and is still seeking a 2020 win to secure his playoff spot. The championship picture continues to take shape as the races wear on, and this week's visit to Pocono Raceway should help consolidate the 12-driver field even further. There is currently a 36-point gap between Brandon Brown in 12th and Myatt Snider, who is on the outside looking in.
Key Stats at Pocono Raceway
- Number of races: 4
- Winners from pole: 1
- Winners from top-5 starters: 3
- Winners from top-10 starters: 4
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 135.583 mph
Previous Pocono Winners
2019 - Cole Custer
2018 - Kyle Busch
2017 - Brad Keselowski
2016 - Kyle Larson
The NASCAR Xfinity series has only raced at Pocono since 2016. So, fantasy owners won't have a ton of data to scour in selecting lineups for this week's race. One thing is for certain, however, it's difficult to pass on this track. The circuit rewards top starting positions, and those who start outside of the top 10 likely will need to leverage pit strategy, in addition to speed, to be in the picture to challenge for the win. The long circuit features three distinct turns that are separated by long straights. Horsepower is necessary to pull off passes at corner entry, and getting off of the prior corner at maximum velocity is the key to being able to move forward. The long lap distance allows more flexibility for teams to go off strategy to gain spots, but fantasy owners should be focusing on the top 10 starters as they make their driver choices this week.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Harrison Burton - $11,100
Justin Allgaier - $10,700
Austin Cindric - $10,200
Chase Briscoe - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Noah Gragson - $9,800
Brandon Jones - $9,600
Daniel Hemric - $9,400
Myatt Snider - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Jeremy Clements - $8,600
Justin Haley - $8,400
Brett Moffitt - $8,200
Michael Annett - $8,100
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Riley Herbst - $7,700
Ryan Sieg - $7,500
Brandon Brown - $7,300
Chad Finchum - $6,300
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Austin Cindric - $10,200
Noah Gragson - $9,800
Brett Moffitt - $8,200
Michael Annett - $8,100
Brandon Brown - $7,300
Chad Finchum - $6,300
Austin Cindric is still looking for his first win of 2020, but that shouldn't be a reason fantasy owners avoid him this week. He has two top-10 finishes from his two series starts at this track and has been knocking on the door of Victory Circle all season. Noah Gragson has his win, two in fact, and his sixth-place finish at this track last season should make him a top fantasy selection this week. Brett Moffitt will start 18th at Pocono and has been a regular face among the top finishers this season. Fantasy owners should also consider Michael Annett this week. He is currently ninth in the playoff standings and finished 12th or better in three of the last five races. Brandon Brown has a nice cushion ahead of the cutoff line for the playoffs. He sits 36 points ahead of Myatt Snider and has four top-15 finishes in the last five races. Chad Finchum will start 27th Sunday and should be able to score his best Pocono finish this weekend. He has raced here twice in the series and should improve upon his average finish of 33.5 given he has been scratching the edges of a top-20 finish in most races this season.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Harrison Burton - $11,100
Chase Briscoe - $10,000
Jeremy Clements - $8,600
Ryan Sieg - $7,500
Bayley Currey - $6,700
Stefan Parsons - $6,100
Harrison Burton's run of top-10 finishes this 2020 season came to an end last week at Talladega Superspeedway. He has been a consistent face inside the top 10 all year and should be back there again in Pocono. He will start 10th this weekend. Chase Briscoe leads the series with three 2020 wins so far. He also had a poor finish last week at Talladega but finished third at Pocono last season. Jeremy Clements has an average Pocono finish of 19.8 from four series starts. He has two top-10s and four top-15s so far this season and will start 21st this weekend. Sitting 10th in the playoff standings, Ryan Sieg is working to end his slump. He hasn't finished in the top 10 since Darlington but started the season with four top-10s in the first five races. His 11th-place starting position could be risky considering his average finish at the track of 23.8. Bayley Currey will start 21st for this weekend's race and has been a top-20 type of driver for much of the season. A top-20 finish this week would give Currey his best finish at the track and would be good for fantasy owners. Stefan Parsons closes out the higher-risk options with a starting position of 26th and 22nd- and 27th-place finishes at Homestead-Miami Speedway earlier this month. He is working to make the most of his time behind the wheel and build upon those Homestead outings.
