NASCAR DFS & Fantasy Picks Today: Bluegreen Vacations Duels Daytona

After a brief hiatus for the Super Bowl last weekend following the Busch Clash in Los Angeles, NASCAR heads back to a familiar site, as they get set for the Daytona 500 weekend with the Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday, Feb 17. These two duel races will set the starting grid for the big race on Sunday. With that being said, let’s dive into how to approach this NASCAR DFS slate and pinpoint some of the best Fantasy NASCAR picks for tournaments and GPPs.

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Bluegreen Vacations Duels NASCAR DFS Picks

Daytona usually features big wrecks, mass carnage and other wild events, but those are not things to expect of these duel races on Thursday evening. Starting positions are not going to matter for the 500 much, as drivers can make their way to the front and back many times throughout a superspeedway race. So there is not much motivation for drivers to make aggressive moves just to start a few spots higher on Sunday and risk damaging their cars. Also, the fact that teams are finding themselves short on parts early on in the season will definitely lead to a more even-keeled race as well. One other thing to note is that the pole sitter in each duel race is already locked into the front row, and they have a history of riding around and dropping back to keep their car clean. That means they are nearly unplayable for DFS purposes, as they have nothing to race for.

Top Driver Picks & Projections

Chase Elliott $9,900 (3rd) — It is usually not smart to target drivers starting near the front at a track like Daytona, but the duels will be much calmer. Elliott is part of the Hendrick crew that showed a ton of speed this week, and that will most likely continue. Elliott may lead the most laps on his way to winning the first duel race of the night.

Joey Logano $9,500 (6th) — Logano is one of the premier superspeedway drivers in the series and is a constant front runner nearly every visit. His only downfall is that he tends to find trouble and wrecks himself out, but this will be a much tamer race. For what it is worth, Logano did mention he will race this like he would the 500; whether that is true or not is to be determined. If he does, it would be beneficial for DFS players if he works his way to the front to lead the pack.

Ryan Blaney $9,200 (7th) — Gamers will be hard pressed to find a much better superspeedway driver than Blaney right now, who also won the most recent race here at Daytona International Speedway. The Penske organization as a whole typically has dominant cars at the superspeedways, and Blaney has been able to flex his muscles here along with his teammates. Starting in seventh, he can lead laps and win but adds some place differential.

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Mid-Range NASCAR Driver Picks & Projections

Brad Keselowski $8,700 (9th) — Keselowski has moved on from Team Penske, but that should not stop him from being a great plate racer, as cars do not matter as much as they normally would at more normal tracks. Plus, Ryan Newman has had some very solid finishes in the No. 6 car in the past. Keselowski is in a weird spot where there is potential for him to get overlooked, as he is in downgraded equipment this season and not really in a spot where he offers much place differential. His price is not that deflated either, but the pricing is not a big deal here, and Keselowski can easily work his way to a top-five finish and pay off. Like Logano, he can be a wreck magnet, but that risk is mitigated in the duels.

Austin Cindric $7,900 (11th) — Cindric may be a rookie this year, but he has some cup races under his belt and has been a long-time staple in the Penske stable, so his expectations are decently high heading into the season, taking over for Keselowski. This is simply a buy on a Penske car below $8,000 starting far back enough to offer us some place differential upside. He also has teammate Ryan Blaney in his duel to potentially work with.

Bubba Wallace $7,800 (8th) — Chris Buescher in a similar price range will pick up the majority of the ownership, but Wallace has finished first and second the two most recent trips at them. His floor is certainly a degree lower, but the ceiling is there for him to make the optimal.

NASCAR Driver Value Picks & Projections

Kaz Grala $5,600 (19th) — Grala is driving for The Money team backed by Floyd Mayweather for the Daytona 500, assuming he makes it in, but it is a safe assumption to make, as he only needs to beat out J.J. Yeley in this duel to advance. As one of the few drivers that actually has something to race for, Grala will end up being a popular punt play to fit in the studs.

Greg Biffle $6,100 (19th) — Biffle is duel 2’s Grala, as they are identical plays. Biffle also needs to race his way in and only needs to beat out Timmy Hill to do so. As one of the few drivers that actually has something to race for, Biffle will end up being a popular punt play to fit in the studs.

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