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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Ford EcoBoost 400
By RJ Kraft | Published: November 16, 2018 17
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NASCAR Digital Media
Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top plays in and out of the playoffs as well as plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2. All drivers will be scored for stage points.
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
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Joey Logano (P) | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Homestead stats: Two top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 14.9 in nine starts.
1.5-mile stats: 387 points are fourth-most this year; scored over 40 points in six of 10 races.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Homestead stats: Two top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 14.9 in nine starts.
1.5-mile stats: 387 points are fourth-most this year; scored over 40 points in six of 10 races.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Joey Logano (P)
Fastlane forecast: Logano made significant gains in the playoffs on 1.5-mile tracks -- average point total of 44.7 in those three races. He holds a streak of three straight top-six finishes at Miami. He has been a lightning rod in past Championship 4s -- slow pit stop in 2014 and accident with Carl Edwards in 2016. For now, I'd avoid him.
Fastlane forecast: Logano made significant gains in the playoffs on 1.5-mile tracks -- average point total of 44.7 in those three races. He holds a streak of three straight top-six finishes at Miami. He has been a lightning rod in past Championship 4s -- slow pit stop in 2014 and accident with Carl Edwards in 2016. For now, I'd avoid him.
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Kyle Busch (P) | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Homestead stats: One win, three top fives, six top 10s and an average finish of 18.5 in 13 starts.
1.5-mile stats: Three wins; 449 points are the most this year; scored at least 40 points in seven of 10 races.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Homestead stats: One win, three top fives, six top 10s and an average finish of 18.5 in 13 starts.
1.5-mile stats: Three wins; 449 points are the most this year; scored at least 40 points in seven of 10 races.
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Kyle Busch (P)
Fastlane forecast: Busch's Miami numbers are a bit deceiving. Let's focus on his three races with crew chief extraordinaire Adam Stevens atop the box: First, sixth and second – and oh, by the way, he was in the Championship 4 for all of those. That makes it hard to say no to this play. For me, the 2015 champion will be locked and loaded in my lineup.
Fastlane forecast: Busch's Miami numbers are a bit deceiving. Let's focus on his three races with crew chief extraordinaire Adam Stevens atop the box: First, sixth and second – and oh, by the way, he was in the Championship 4 for all of those. That makes it hard to say no to this play. For me, the 2015 champion will be locked and loaded in my lineup.
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Martin Truex Jr. (P) | View stats
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Homestead stats: One win, four top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 11.5 in 13 starts.
1.5-mile stats: One win; 411 points are third-most this year; scored over 40 points in six of 10 races.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Homestead stats: One win, four top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 11.5 in 13 starts.
1.5-mile stats: One win; 411 points are third-most this year; scored over 40 points in six of 10 races.
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Martin Truex Jr. (P)
Fastlane forecast: Truex is back in the Championship 4 to defend his title, but this hasn't been the same team on 1.5-mile tracks this season. He had seven wins on that track length in 2017 -- including a victory at Miami -- and he has just one this year. I'm avoiding the play out of a preference to go with three non-playoff drivers.
Fastlane forecast: Truex is back in the Championship 4 to defend his title, but this hasn't been the same team on 1.5-mile tracks this season. He had seven wins on that track length in 2017 -- including a victory at Miami -- and he has just one this year. I'm avoiding the play out of a preference to go with three non-playoff drivers.
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Kevin Harvick (P) | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Homestead stats: One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s and an average finish of 6.8 in 17 starts.
1.5-mile stats in 2018: Four wins; 432 points are second-most this year; scored over 40 points in eight of 10 races.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Homestead stats: One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s and an average finish of 6.8 in 17 starts.
1.5-mile stats in 2018: Four wins; 432 points are second-most this year; scored over 40 points in eight of 10 races.
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Kevin Harvick (P)
Fastlane forecast: Harvick enters Sunday's showdown at Miami as the co-favorite with Kyle Busch and for good reason. Harvick's numbers at the season-finale track are the best among the Championship 4 and he has four straight top-four finishes. In my view, he's the top play among the playoff field this weekend.
Fastlane forecast: Harvick enters Sunday's showdown at Miami as the co-favorite with Kyle Busch and for good reason. Harvick's numbers at the season-finale track are the best among the Championship 4 and he has four straight top-four finishes. In my view, he's the top play among the playoff field this weekend.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
Kyle Larson | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: The use of the high line at Miami was made for a driver like Larson and the recent results illustrate it. He has finished in the top five in the past three races here. He has led over half the laps -- 277 of a possible 535 -- in the past two races. He's a must among non-playoff plays.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: The use of the high line at Miami was made for a driver like Larson and the recent results illustrate it. He has finished in the top five in the past three races here. He has led over half the laps -- 277 of a possible 535 -- in the past two races. He's a must among non-playoff plays.
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Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has two Miami wins. He has nine top 10s in 13 starts and has not finished outside the top 10 in the past five races here. His win in every full season streak is in jeopardy much as it was in 2013 -- a race he won. Consider him for your pole pick -- he's won two of the last three.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has two Miami wins. He has nine top 10s in 13 starts and has not finished outside the top 10 in the past five races here. His win in every full season streak is in jeopardy much as it was in 2013 -- a race he won. Consider him for your pole pick -- he's won two of the last three.
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Chase Elliott | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Here's a Miami stat surprise -- Elliott has a better average running position at the track than Kyle Larson. The Georgia native owns the third-best ARP at the 1.5-mile track and scored a top five here last year. He also won at Kansas -- one of four 1.5-mile tracks in the playoffs.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Here's a Miami stat surprise -- Elliott has a better average running position at the track than Kyle Larson. The Georgia native owns the third-best ARP at the 1.5-mile track and scored a top five here last year. He also won at Kansas -- one of four 1.5-mile tracks in the playoffs.
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Brad Keselowski | View stats
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Since being eliminated from the playoffs, Keselowski has two top fives in three races as he looks to finish the 2018 season strong. The 2012 champ has four top-seven finishes at Miami in his past five starts here. He also has the sixth-most points on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Since being eliminated from the playoffs, Keselowski has two top fives in three races as he looks to finish the 2018 season strong. The 2012 champ has four top-seven finishes at Miami in his past five starts here. He also has the sixth-most points on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Austin Dillon | View stats
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Dillon is closing the season in solid fashion with back-to-back top 10s and he also has three straight top 11s on 1.5-mile tracks. His Miami numbers aren't flashy but he has an average finish of 12.3 in the past three races there. He is a sneaky play to throw in your lineup.
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Dillon is closing the season in solid fashion with back-to-back top 10s and he also has three straight top 11s on 1.5-mile tracks. His Miami numbers aren't flashy but he has an average finish of 12.3 in the past three races there. He is a sneaky play to throw in your lineup.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Ryan Blaney | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: In three starts at Miami, Blaney has never finished inside the top 15 and has an average finish of 24.0. With an average running position that ranks 27th in loop data, players should look elsewhere.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: In three starts at Miami, Blaney has never finished inside the top 15 and has an average finish of 24.0. With an average running position that ranks 27th in loop data, players should look elsewhere.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
STAY AWAY FROM: Daniel Suarez | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Suarez's lone start in the Cup Series at Miami was a 34th-place finish. The bigger concern is that he has just one top 10 in 10 starts on 1.5-mile tracks this season. These tracks are far from his comfort zone.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Suarez's lone start in the Cup Series at Miami was a 34th-place finish. The bigger concern is that he has just one top 10 in 10 starts on 1.5-mile tracks this season. These tracks are far from his comfort zone.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
My lineup heading into the weekend: Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin; Garage: Brad Keselowski. Check back for our "Fantasy Update" piece on this weekend for the final lineup. Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.