Fantasy Three Up: Last-minute Atlanta advice

PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup | How the new Fantasy Live works RELATED: Fantasy analysis for Atlanta | Full lineup | 10-lap averages Kyle Busch will start on the pole for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With two practice sessions for this race, we’ve dissected the numbers and 10-lap averages to offer a look at three drivers worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as you go to make roster decisions for the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of 2018. 1. Martin Truex Jr. Yes, he is starting at the back -- 35th to be exact -- after not making it out for qualifying on Friday. However, he placed second in the final practice session. And do not forget, he won seven of the 11 races contested on track's in the 1.5-mile range last year. Simply put, the risk is too great to sit him out completely, so this is where the beauty of having a garage driver comes in. If his starting position makes you uneasy, place him in the garage to start and see what unfolds. RELATED: Truex doesn't make it out for qualifying 2. Denny Hamlin. With three finishes of 38th in his last five Atlanta starts, Hamlin admittedly wasn't on the radar entering this weekend. But topping the 10-lap averages board in both practices has changed our thinking on that. In addition, tire fall-off will be a consistent development on this rough track surface and the veteran drivers like Hamlin are much more likely to manage that better than the young drivers in the series. Some may point to Ryan Newman as this type of driver as well, but his 10-lap average times are a cause for concern as is his recent Atlanta trend of strong starting spots and finishes outside the top 20 in his last two runs here. MORE: How NASCAR measures track surfaces 3. Kasey Kahne. The veteran has a favorable Atlanta history with three wins and was fourth in this race last year. Yes, he has changed teams for the 2018 season -- he now drives the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet -- but he had the best 10-lap average among the Chevrolet camp in final practice. This is a play based on good track history, upside and not wanting to use up a race for some others in the Chevrolet group just yet like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. RJ Kraft’s revised Fantasy Live lineup following practices and qualifying: 1: Kyle Busch 2: Kevin Harvick 3: Denny Hamlin 4: Kurt Busch 5: Kasey Kahne Garage: Martin Truex Jr. Analysis: My initial plan was to have Kyle Busch in the garage to start with Harvick, Truex and a host of young stars like Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones. Poor qualifying efforts and concern over the 10-lap averages plus wanting to not burn through Blaney's 10-race usage limit just yet led to some significant changes. Kyle Busch's pole-winning effort and second-best 10-lap time in final practice moves him into my starting lineup. Harvick's record at Atlanta speaks for itself. Hamlin's sustained 10-lap times propel him into the group -- even though I already used him at Daytona -- just not sure where else besides short tracks I'll plug him in. Kurt Busch has a good Atlanta history with six top-seven finishes in his last eight starts, and the Fords have had speed this weekend. Kahne is a bit of risk with a new team and all, but I like the track history as well. I anticipate plugging Truex into my lineup before the end of Stage 2, but for now he'll start in the garage. What better insurance to have than the best driver on the intermediate tracks last season! The tire falloff concerns have me favoring a more veteran group of drivers for this weekend's race. I also was trying to avoid using Kyle Larson here -- he's not a bad play at all -- I just like the upcoming NASCAR Goes West tracks a lot better for him. Elliott's qualifying effort and 10-lap times have me shifting away from him as well. Remember to set your roster and bonus picks ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. ET start time and to keep tabs on your team during the race with the ability to go to the garage locking at the completion of Stage 2.