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BACK TO GALLERIES

Fantasy Fastlane: FireKeepers Casino 400

By | Published: June 7, 2016 15
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BACK TO GALLERIES

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By: RJ Kraft


Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the outlook for the top 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.

PLAY NOW: Sign up for Fantasy Live today

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Chase Elliott

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet
Learn more about Elliott
Fantasy Live price: $25.25
Fastlane forecast: The rookie enters Michigan with nine top 10s in his last 11 races and leading laps (like his 51 led at Pocono) only adds to his arsenal. He has no Sprint Cup starts in the Irish Hills, but does hold an average finish of 4.0 in two XFINITY Series races. The 20-year-old's price tag is only rising; he started the season at just $17.

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Joey Logano

Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Learn more about Logano
Fantasy Live price: $26.00
Fastlane forecast: Over the past six races at Michigan, Logano has a win, the best average finish (5.7) and is the only active driver to finish in the top 10 in each event. After some struggles in May, the title contender has found his footing and is primed for a midseason surge. Get in now before the price skyrockets.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Learn more about Earnhardt
Fantasy Live price: $26.25
Fastlane forecast: Dale Jr. is a two-time winner at Michigan and holds the fourth-best average running position (12.06) in the loop data era. The 88 team made some big gains at Pocono and their past success and comfort at Michigan should lead to a strong week. Have confidence in Junior this weekend.

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Brad Keselowski

Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Learn more about Keselowski
Fantasy Live price: $26.50
Fastlane forecast: The Rochester Hills, Michigan native has yet to win in the sport's top series in his home state. The 2012 champion is trending in the right direction with seven straight top-12 finishes in the Irish Hills and the fourth-best average finish (8.3) over the past six races there. The Michigan Man is a solid play.

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Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Learn more about Johnson
Fantasy Live price: $26.75
Fastlane forecast: The Irish Hills have yielded an inconsistency not typically associated with the 48 team -- just two top 10s (including a 2014 win) in his last seven runs there. Despite that, he has led the most laps (646) at Michigan among active drivers. Given the inconsistency, we'd reluctantly look elsewhere.

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Matt Kenseth

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Learn more about Kenseth
Fantasy Live price: $27.00
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth is the most recent winner at Michigan and a three-time winner for his career at the 2-mile track. The veteran driver holds the best driver rating (104.2) and the second-best average finish (10.2) at the track. With the early season bad luck a thing of the past, play Kenseth with confidence.

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Kyle Busch

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Learn more about Kyle Busch
Fantasy Live price: $27.25
Fastlane forecast: 'Rowdy' may have a win at Michigan, but the reigning Sprint Cup Series champion has struggled mightily at the 2-mile track recently -- to the tune of a 33.0 average finish in the last five races. Others offer a bit more value this weekend.

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Carl Edwards

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Learn more about Edwards
Fantasy Live price: $27.50
Fastlane forecast: Edwards owns the best average finish (9.7) and two wins in 23 starts at Michigan. The last few years at the 2-mile track have seen some struggles, but the 2016 season has been Edwards' best in awhile. History sides with this being a solid play.

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Kevin Harvick

Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Chevrolet
Learn more about Harvick
Fantasy Live price: $27.75
Fastlane forecast: The tale of Harvick notching runner-up finishes is well-documented. At Michigan, he has five second-place finishes in just his past six starts here, alone, among his 24 total runner-up finishes since 2013. He's also led the third-most laps (141) here in that stretch, making the one-time Michigan winner a sound play.

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Kurt Busch

Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Chevrolet
Learn more about Kurt Busch
Fantasy Live price: $28.00
Fastlane forecast: Last week's race winner has three career wins at Michigan, but his Irish Hills track record is plagued by inconsistency. For example, in the last 13 races there, the 2004 champion has three top-three finishes ... but also seven finishes of 30th-or-worse. Accept the risk if you choose him.

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SLEEPER PICK

Paul Menard

Richard Childress Racing, No. 27 Chevrolet
Learn more about Menard
Fantasy Live price: $20.00
Fastlane forecast: In the past six races at Michigan, Menard owns the third-best average finish (7.7) with three top-fives and no finish worse than 14th. Its been a quiet year so far but that can change here.

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SLEEPER PICK

Clint Bowyer

HScott Motorsports, No. 15 Chevrolet
Learn more about Bowyer
Fantasy Live price: $16.75
Fastlane forecast: Prior to a 41st-place finish last August at Michigan, Bowyer had nine-straight top 10s here. With double-digit place differential gains in four of the past seven races in 2016, he's a nice add.

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VALUE PLAY

Danica Patrick

Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Chevrolet
Learn more about Patrick
Fantasy Live price: $13.25
Fastlane forecast: In six career starts at Michigan, Patrick has compiled an average place differential of +6 per race. Add on her four top-20 finishes at the 2-mile track and this is a good week to add Danica.

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VALUE PLAY

Chris Buescher

Front Row Motorsports, No. 34 Ford
Learn more about Buescher
Fantasy Live price: $5.00
Fastlane forecast: The rookie has quietly been making gains. The price on Buescher is the lowest it has been all year and the reigning XFINITY champion offers nice upside and little risk to round out your roster.
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