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By: RJ Kraft
Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane, formerly known as Driver Reports, will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the outlook for the top 10 drivers as well as two sleepers and two value plays based on NASCAR Fantasy Live prices. NASCAR.com fantasy expert RJ Kraft breaks down the drivers you want in your lineup and which drivers you want to avoid for this week.
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Carl Edwards
Joe Gibbs Racing, No . 19 Toyota
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Fantasy Live price: $26.00
Fastlane forecast: Edwards owns the third-best driver rating (99.2) at the 1-mile track. On the flip side, he has just one top 10 there in his last five races. Overall, the JGR driver is a worthwhile play at just the right price.
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Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
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Fantasy Live price: $26.25
Fastlane forecast: Truex’s solid start has seen his value rise $0.75 since the beginning of the season. While he is decent at Phoenix, there are some drivers that are better plays this week if you have to pay market price to get the Furniture Row driver. If you have Truex at his original price, stay with him.
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Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Learn more about Hamlin
Fantasy Live price: $26.25
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has the third-best average finish (11.4) at Phoenix among active drivers and the sixth-most laps led (441) in the loop data era. Phoenix plays a lot like a short track, which is an advantage to Hamlin. Roll with him as a solid play this weekend.
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Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Learn more about Johnson
Fantasy Live price: $27.00
Fastlane forecast: For all of Kevin Harvick’s dominance at Phoenix, it’s Johnson who has the best average finish among active drivers (7.7), best driver rating (112.6) and best average running position (7.833). 'Six-Time' looks strong with the new rules package, so don't think twice about putting him in your lineup.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Learn more about Earnhardt
Fantasy Live price: $27.00
Fastlane forecast: Junior is the most recent winner at the 1-mile track and has five top-eight finishes in his past six races there. Yet, he is 13th in average running position among active drivers. Earnhardt is a solid option, but for the same dollar value, one of his Hendrick teammates is a better play.
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Kurt Busch
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Chevrolet
Learn more about Kurt Busch
Fantasy Live price: $27.25
Fastlane forecast: Busch has four top-seven finishes in his past five races at Phoenix and has led the third-most laps (750) among active drivers. The 2004 champion is coming off two straight weeks of Coors Light Pole Awards and is a good play for this weekend.
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Brad Keselowski
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Learn more about Keselowski
Fantasy Live price: $27.50
Fastlane forecast: Last weekend’s winner at Las Vegas has the fifth-best average finish (13.5) at Phoenix. Despite not having a win at the 1-mile track, he has seven top-nine finishes in last eight races there (with the lone exception an 11th-place result). The 2012 champion is a great choice this weekend.
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Joey Logano
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Learn more about Logano
Fantasy Live price: $27.50
Fastlane forecast: Much like his Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski, Logano has been pretty strong at Phoenix in recent years, despite not having a victory there. He has five straight top-nine finishes and has 156 laps led over the course of those races. Serve up 'Sliced Bread' as part of your lineup this weekend.
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Kevin Harvick
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Chevrolet
Learn more about Harvick
Fantasy Live price: $27.75
Fastlane forecast: What Dale Jr. is to restrictor-plate races, Harvick is at Phoenix. He has seven wins at the 1-mile track, with five coming in the past seven races there. In the past four races at Phoenix, Harvick has led a whopping 74 percent of the laps (855 of 1,155 laps). He is a must buy for your lineup this weekend.
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Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Learn more about Kyle Busch
Fantasy Live price: $28.00
Fastlane forecast: 'Rowdy' has one career win at Phoenix and that came in 2005. Despite having three top-10 finishes in his last four runs there, he has led just one lap during that stretch. The price tag on the 2015 champion feels a little steep for this weekend’s race and there is better value to be found among his JGR teammates.
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SLEEPER PICK
Kasey Kahne
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet
Learn more about Kahne
Fantasy Live price: $22.25
Fastlane forecast: Kahne has been hot-and-cold for nearly two-plus seasons, but it feels like a corner was turned with his Vegas top 10. His Phoenix track record is a risk-reward proposition (three top four finishes, three finishes of 21st or worse in his last eight races there) that needs to be weighed, but there is upside here.
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SLEEPER PICK
Ty Dillon
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Chevrolet
Learn more about Ty Dillon
Fantasy Live price: $12.25
Fastlane forecast: It seems like we always are recommending the driver of the 14 car, and that is the case once again. Dillon has the team’s best finish so far this year and on the XFINITY side, Phoenix has been one of his best tracks (6.2 average finish).
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VALUE PICK
Danica Patrick
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Chevrolet
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Fantasy Live price: $11.50
Fastlane forecast: Danica’s best finish at Phoenix came in last year’s November race and she has gained spots from start to finish in four of her seven starts there. For that reason, the SHR driver offers nice value this weekend.
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VALUE PICK
Michael Annett
HScott Motorsports, No. 46 Chevrolet
Learn more about Annett
Fantasy Live price: $6.00
Fastlane forecast: Annett has a positive place differential in three of his four career Sprint Cup races at Phoenix and two of his three races in 2016. The 29-year-old is a good choice to round out your roster.