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Fantasy Fastlane: Coca-Cola 600
By RJ Kraft | Published: May 21, 2017 15
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Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the outlook for the top drivers as well as three sleepers and three value plays based on NASCAR Fantasy Live prices. NASCAR.com fantasy expert RJ Kraft breaks down the drivers you want in your lineup for this week.
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Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 ToyotaQualifying spot: 6th
Learn more about Hamlin
Fantasy Live price: $25.75
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has not won at Charlotte in 23 starts, but he does have 11 top 10s in his last 13 starts at the 1.5-mile track. The downside is he has struggled at intermediates in 2017 (23.0 average finish), so there is a bit of risk here.
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Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 ToyotaQualifying spot: 2nd
Learn more about Kyle Busch
Fantasy Live price: $26.50
Fastlane forecast: The 2017 All-Star Race winner has not won a points race here in 26 starts. He has led the third-most laps here (908) among active drivers and is second in average running position. The price point makes for an intriguing option.
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Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 ChevroletQualifying spot: 14th
Learn more about Johnson
Fantasy Live price: $27.00
Fastlane forecast: Johnson has eight wins at Charlotte – the most among active drivers at the venue. The body of work at the 1.5-mile track is extensive: best driver rating, best average running position and most laps led among active drivers.
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Kevin Harvick
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 FordQualifying spot: 1st
Learn more about Harvick
Fantasy Live price: $27.25
Fastlane forecast: Harvick has three wins at Charlotte – all of which have come since 2011. In that stretch, the 2014 champion has 10 top-nine finishes in his last 12 starts at the track. 'Happy' has been a strong car on the intermediates at SHR.
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Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 ToyotaQualifying spot: 8th
Learn more about Truex
Fantasy Live price: $27.50
Fastlane forecast: Truex dominated this race last year – leading all but eight laps. Truex and the No. 78 crew have been on point at intermediate tracks with two wins this season – and five in his last 12 starts at that track type. Build around him this weekend.
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Joey Logano
Team Penske, No. 22 FordQualifying spot: 23rd
Learn more about Logano
Fantasy Live price: $27.50
Fastlane forecast: Based on average finish, Charlotte is Logano's second-best track. 'Sliced Bread' has been cut just right here with a win and nine top 10s in 16 starts. Coming off back-to-back races with wrecks, Logano is due to bounce back.
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Kyle Larson
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 ChevroletQualifying spot: 39th
Learn more about Larson
Fantasy Live price: $27.75
Fastlane forecast: Larson's Charlotte history has been a mixed bag. However, the points leader has been a machine on the 1.5-mile tracks this year – with three runner-up finishes and a 'worst finish' of sixth. He is a must-start at the mile-and-a-halfs.
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Brad Keselowski
Team Penske, No. 2 FordQualifying spot: 10th
Learn more about Keselowski
Fantasy Live price: $28.00
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski has one win at Charlotte and six top 10s in his last seven points starts at the 1.5-mile track. The 2012 champion has posted top-six finishes in all four intermediate starts this year – including a win at Atlanta.
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SLEEPER PICK: Matt Kenseth
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 ToyotaQualifying spot: 4th
Learn more about Kenseth
Fantasy Live price: $24.25
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth has won twice at Charlotte in his career. He also has five top-seven finishes in his last seven starts at the track. The 2003 champion's price point is intriguing.
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SLEEPER PICK: Jamie McMurray
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 1 ChevroletQualifying spot: 11th
Learn more about McMurray
Fantasy Live price: $22.75
Fastlane forecast: McMurray has two wins in his career at Charlotte. He has an average finish of 8.3 in four intermediate races this year and an added bonus of the eighth-most stage points.
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SLEEPER PICK: Ryan Blaney
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 FordQualifying spot: 7th
Learn more about Blaney
Fantasy Live price: $20.75
Fastlane forecast: In Blaney's last two intermediate track starts, he has sat on the front row and led 231 laps. His power at the 1.5-mile tracks this year makes for a tantalizing fantasy play.
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VALUE PLAY: Chris Buescher
JTG Daugherty Racing, No. 37 ChevroletQualifying spot: 29th
Learn more about Buescher
Fantasy Live price: $10.25
Fastlane forecast: In his last eight starts (dating back to '16) at intermediates, Buescher has an average place differential of +6.9. With a +5.7 mark in 2017 – the second-year man is a nice add.
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VALUE PLAY: Landon Cassill
Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 FordQualifying spot: 31st
Learn more about Cassill
Fantasy Live price: $7.25
Fastlane forecast: You may sense a theme on the value picks: Place differential. Cassill has a +10 average place differential in his last three Charlotte races. The price has dipped in recent weeks.
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VALUE PLAY: Corey LaJoie
BK Racing, No. 83 ToyotaQualifying spot: 40th
Learn more about LaJoie
Fantasy Live price: $5.00
Fastlane forecast: Starting from the last spot in the field means there is nowhere to go but up for the rookie. Place differential is the play here; LaJoie has an average +8.3 gain in his past four races.