Jessica Ruffin’s revised Fantasy Live lineup following practices and the lineup being set:
1: Joey Logano
2: Brad Keselowski
3: Clint Bowyer
4: Aric Almirola
5: Erik Jones
Garage: Kyle Larson
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MORE: Fantasy analysis for Michigan | Driver stats | Full lineup | 10-lap averages
Analysis: With only one driver (Clint Bowyer) running 10 consecutive laps in opening practice and final practice being canceled due to weather, Fantasy Live players are a bit limited on their resources this weekend.
Kevin Harvick, once again, is a strong play. I personally don’t want to burn a usage with one of these drivers when there are several strong alternative options. But if you have the usage and want to play him, he’ll be stout. I would save Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch plays, as Harvick seems to be the strongest of the three. I also plan on stacking my bonus picks with the No. 4.
Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have both been solid this weekend, with top-10 practice speeds and promising qualifying positions. Their past history plays into my decision, too. Both drivers finished in the top five at similar Auto Club Speedway in March, and Keselowski paced the field for 105 laps in the series’ last trip to the Irish Hills. Logano has finished in the top 10 for nine of the past 10 races at Michigan, winning two of those events (2016 and 2013).
Clint Bowyer’s past Michigan history initially made me hesitant to play the No. 14 Sunday, but after practice and qualifying, he looks to be a solid choice. He was up there with Harivck, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson on the second practice’s 10-lap average chart and showed speed in both practices. A 12th-place starting position isn’t bad, either. His Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Aric Almirola holds an even stronger qualifying spot (sixth) and is a good option for me because I haven’t played the No. 10 often this season and am nearing the end of my usages with pole-sitter Kurt Busch (my initial pick). With its high speeds, Michigan’s the spot for cars that have shown speed all season long and Almirola’s consistency, coupled with his starting spot, makes me like him for this weekend.
Erik Jones hasn’t been as quick as I would have hoped this weekend, but I still have faith in the No. 20 Sunday; he showed some speed in final practice and has a strong starting position. The Michigan native also finished third in the most recent race at Michigan and recorded a seventh-place result at the similar two-mile Auto Club. I was between Jones and Chase Elliott for this pick and went with the No. 20 because of his stronger qualifying position and faster laps in final practice.
Last, but not least: Kyle Larson. The No. 42 was an absolute must-start heading into race weekend, as he’s won the last three straight at Michigan. And he still could win four in a row this weekend. But his 26th-place qualifying effort was a bit of a head-scratcher, prompting the Chip Ganassi Racing driver to say the car had been “pretty far off” all day on Friday. Saturday’s second-place ranking on the speed chart and third-place on 10-lap averages make me think the team did figure something out. But just in case, he’s in my garage.