This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Ag-Pro 300
Location: Talladega, Ala.
Course: Talladega Superspeedway
Format: 2.66-mile tri-oval
Laps: 113
Race Preview
Chase Briscoe won for the second week in a row and the eighth time this season, punching his ticket to the next round of championship eliminations. Two races remain for the remaining playoff contenders to book their spots alongside Briscoe, and up first is this week's daunting Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway. Justin Haley won at Talladega earlier this season with Kaulig Racing teammate Ross Chastain following him to second place. Chastain enters this week's race just below the cutoff line in ninth position in the playoffs. Joining him with ground to cover over the next two races are Michael Annett, Riley Herbst and Brandon Brown. Those drivers will be looking to make things happen on a risky track where almost anything can happen, which makes Talladega exciting and unpredictable for fantasy players.
Key Stats at Talladega Superspeedway
- Number of races: 29
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 11
- Winners from top-10 starters: 14
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 7
- Fastest race: 168.937 mph
Previous 10 Talladega Winners
2020 spring - Justin Haley
2019 - Tyler Reddick
2018 - Spencer Gallagher
2017 - Aric Almirola
2016 - Elliott Sadler
2015 - Joey Logano
2014 - Elliott Sadler
2013 - Regan Smith
2012 - Joey Logano
2011 - Kyle Busch
Talladega Superspeedway is a 2.66-mile high-banked oval where drafting with other cars is the order of the day. Manufacturers and teammates are likely to team up, but drafting partners will be at a premium as stages and the race itself draws to a close. Tire wear will be less of a factor than fuel mileage this week, and teams will coordinate their trips to pit road to ensure drafting partners are available as the cars return to racing speed. Pitting under caution will be the preference as a result, and unscheduled trips to pit road will trap a driver laps down, which could take a long time to overcome. Cautions are common at Talladega, however. There were three cautions in the final stage of the race there earlier this season and five in the final stage last year. Anything can happen at this track, and drivers need to stay out of others' track problems to have a chance to battle for the win on Saturday.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
AJ Allmendinger - $12,000
Austin Cindric - $10,600
Chase Briscoe - $10,400
Justin Allgaier - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Noah Gragson - $9,800
Justin Haley - $9,600
Harrison Burton - 9,400
Daniel Hemric - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Riley Herbst - $8,800
Michael Annett - $8,600
Ryan Sieg - $8,300
Anthony Alfredo - $8,100
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Brett Moffitt - $7,900
Myatt Snider - $7,400
Alex Labbe - $7,100
Austin Hill - $6,600
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Justin Allgaier - $10,000
Justin Haley - $9,600
Daniel Hemric - $9,000
Michael Annett - $8,600
Myatt Snider - $7,400
Garrett Smithley - $5,400
Justin Allgaier has crashed out of the last two Talladega races, but he ran at the front, leading laps, in each of his last four visits to the track. He has never won here, but is a reliable top-10 option if he can survive until the finish. Justin Haley has a Talladega win under his belt and also won at Daytona in the Cup series last season. He has two series starts at this track and an average finish of 4.0. Daniel Hemric will start Saturday's race fifth. He led 39 laps in the spring race. He has two top-five finishes in the races leading up to this weekend, too. Michael Annett is a veteran at this track. In eight starts, he only has one top-10 finish but started on the front row and led at least 10 laps in the last two Talladega trips. He will start ninth this week. Myatt Snider will start in the 19th position. He led one lap in the spring race before crashing. Garrett Smithley finishes the lower-risk option with three Talladega finishes of 12th or better from his four series tries.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
AJ Allmendinger - $12,000
Harrison Burton - $9,400
Ryan Sieg - $8,300
Brett Moffitt - $7,900
Alex Labbe - $7,100
Jesse Little - $5,200
AJ Allmendinger is the highest-priced option this week, and choosing him comes with risk. He would normally be expected to race at the front and has a price premium based on his sixth-place starting position. He has one series start at this track, which was a seventh-place finish from the 34th starting position. Harrison Burton is another driver who led at Talladega in the spring before crashing out. He started 11th that day and will hit the track in the same spot again this week as he tries to make it all the way to the finish this time. Ryan Sieg will have his third consecutive top-10 Talladega start this weekend with seventh position. He has seven starts at the track with a best result of sixth in 2018. Brett Moffitt scored his lone top-five this season at Talladega in the spring. He has six top-10s this season and finished 13th at the track last year. Alex Labbe has three Talladega races under his belt and he finished ninth in the spring race. He will start 23rd this week and could move forward to earn fantasy players finish differential points. Jesse Little should also be a reliable choice this week. In the spring visit to the circuit, he had a confidence-building day with a 13th-place finish after starting 18th.
