Fantasy Fastlane: William Byron has the hot hand going into Atlanta

For the second week in a row, NASCAR visits a drafting-style track to kick off the 2024 season. With 24 races remaining in the regular season following Atlanta, players will need to be strategic in who they use. While some of the top drivers in the sport are elite on superspeedways, it might be beneficial to punt on this week to save for later in the year, particularly if you used them in the Daytona 500.

Fantasy players will earn 10 Fan Rewards points each time they set their lineup in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Fan Rewards is a way for registered users on NASCAR.com to earn points toward things like NASCAR tickets, NASCAR merchandise and more. Learn more about Fan Rewards.

MUST START:

William Byron | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet

Odds: 12-1

It’s hard for any driver and team to win two superspeedway races in a row (let alone in consecutive weeks). The last time it was done was by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2017, but Byron has the chance to do exactly that after winning the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Byron has also won 50% of the races at Atlanta since it was reconfigured. Granted, it’s a small sample size with just four races, but the No. 24 team seems to find its way towards the front at superspeedways, however, as four of Byron’s 11 wins have come via the draft.

MUST START:

Corey LaJoie | View stats

Spire Motorsports, No. 7 Chevrolet

Odds: 40-1

This would be an exception where, if you used LaJoie in the Daytona 500, it would behoove you to pick him again this week. Not that LaJoie doesn’t have the skill set to run up front each week, but we haven’t seen what the revamped Spire Motorsports team can do at a traditional downforce track yet in 2024. Meanwhile, LaJoie is great at the reconfigured Atlanta, with a pair of top five finishes in four races. The No. 7 car also led 19 laps in the summer race in 2022, but wrecked on the final lap when making a move for the win.

MUST START:

Brad Keselowski | View stats

RFK Racing, No. 6 Ford

Odds: 40-1

We’re creeping up on three years since the last time Keselowski visited Victory Lane at Talladega, another superspeedway. This would be a good use for Keselowski if you didn’t use him in the Daytona 500, when the No. 6 car got caught up in the 23-car pileup with fewer than 10 laps remaining. The No. 6 team was the only one to score top 10s in both Atlanta races last season.

MUST START:

Erik Jones | View stats

Legacy Motor Club, No. 43 Toyota

Odds: 22-1

Compared to a normal superspeedway, this lineup might look a tad different. But you could do far worse than including Jones, who, in four starts at the new Atlanta, has a worst finish of 14th. He has a pair of top 10s with an average finish just north of ninth.

SLEEPER PICK: 

Daniel Suárez | View stats

Trackhouse Racing, No. 99 Chevrolet

Odds: 30-1

If this were Daytona or Talladega, Suárez wouldn’t be considered a sleeper. But at the new Atlanta, the No. 99 team is the only car to have three top-10 finishes. He finished runner-up to Byron last summer and needs to find some of that magic this weekend so he doesn’t start the season off with consecutive poor finishes.

SLEEPER PICK: 

Todd Gilliland | View stats

Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford

Odds: 80-1

During Monday’s Daytona 500, Gilliland led more laps (16) than in his previous 72 Cup Series starts combined (11). Front Row seems to always be in the mix on superspeedways, though Gilliland has just two top 10s on such tracks. With a newly formed alliance with Team Penske, which has three of the best superspeedway competitors in the garage, it will only enhance Gilliland’s ability on these types of tracks.

SLEEPER PICK: 

Justin Haley | View stats

Rick Ware Racing, No. 51 Ford

Odds: 100-1

This might seem like a stretch, but let’s not forget how good of a superspeedway competitor Haley is. All four of his Xfinity Series wins have come in the draft, and just last week in the Daytona 500, he raced all the way up to second position. Granted it was with Kaulig Racing, but he has a pair of top-10 finishes in the four starts on the reconfigured AMS.

STAY AWAY FROM: 

Kyle Larson | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet

Odds: 14-1

You could copy and paste what I wrote about Larson at Daytona (and throughout 2023) and still apply it here. The No. 5 car crashed out of both Atlanta races in 2023 and three of the four overall at the new Atlanta. He has gotten more confident at these types of tracks throughout his career, and finished 11th in the Daytona 500, but it's still worth saving the use here.

STAY AWAY FROM: 

Alex Bowman | View stats

Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet

Odds: 25-1

Bowman could be a trendy pick after nearly winning the Daytona 500, but you might want to look away if you were thinking about using him at Atlanta. In four starts at the reconfigured track, the No. 48 car has an average finish of 20.5 and has yet to lead a lap. Two of those finishes were outside the top 25 entirely, and his best finish is 10th. It’s a big year for Bowman, but save a use this week.

STAY AWAY FROM: 

Martin Truex Jr. | View stats

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota

Odds: 16-1

Since finishing eighth in the inaugural Atlanta race on the new high-banked race track, Truex’s numbers have gotten progressively worse. The No. 19 team finished 11th in the summer of 2022, 19th in this race last season and 29th last summer. But don’t worry Truex fans, your driver will be used a lot during the regular season, probably as soon as next week.

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

William Byron vs. Denny Hamlin

Both drivers are among the top five in the sport on superspeedways. Each will likely see time at the front of the field throughout the race. Byron consistently delivers strong finishes at Atlanta, however, while Hamlin is still looking for his first top five since the track changed. Sticking with the hot hand here in Byron.

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Alex Bowman vs. Christopher Bell

Bell is not shy in voicing his distaste for superspeedway racing. He boils his recent success down to luck, which includes winning the second Bluegreen Vacations Duel race at Daytona last week. As noted earlier, I’m escaping from Bowman this week, who has just one top-10 finish in the last four Atlanta races. Meanwhile, the key number for Bell is three: He finished third in this race last season, as well as the past two Daytona 500s.

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Brad Keselowski vs. Joey Logano

Watching these former teammates deliver a masterclass in superspeedway racing during last year’s spring Atlanta race was an absolute treat. Logano had the upper hand that day, making a last-lap pass on Keselowski for the win. It might be time to flip the script, however, as Keselowski arguably had the best car in both Atlanta races last season, but lost out on winning each.

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Bubba Wallace vs. Chase Elliott

Even though Elliott won the second race on the new Atlanta layout, neither driver has a great track record here. Wallace wrecked himself in the early laps last season, while Elliott had to miss the race entirely, rehabbing a leg injury. Sticking with the Georgia native Elliott this weekend, however, as the No. 9 team needs to find its stride early in the season after a disappointing 2023 campaign.

MY LINEUP: William Byron, Corey LaJoie, Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano

GARAGE: Daniel Suárez