Stock car racingโs premiere series makes its way to the city of speed in Speedway, Indiana.ย Make the most of the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG with our NASCAR DFS picks and tiers.
We reveal our “Tire Tiers” and betting cards live every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EST on our YouTube series, “The Backroad.” Be sure to tune in, enjoy the race, and reach out if you have any questions.
(DFS prices are courtesy of DraftKings and Fantrax)
NASCAR DFS Picks, Tiers & Rankings: 2024 Brickyard 400
Driver As | The Elites
Denny Hamlin was not only No. 1 in the total speed rankings,ย courtesy of ifantasyrace.com, last week at Pocono, but he was also No. 1 the last time the Cup Series took to the Indianapolis oval. The No. 11 car had the best average position at “The Tricky Triangle” (5.0), meaning he should run up front for most of the Brickyard 400. I’ll bite on all formats, even on DraftKings, where he is the highest-priced driver at $10,500.
Kyle Larson had an uncharacteristic 13th-place finish in Long Pond, Pa., so I’m a bit hesitant to pay up for the No. 5 car this week. Still, returning to Indianapolis after letting the Indy 500 slip away from him earlier this year, I won’t count the California native out.
Ryan Blaney maybe didn’t have the fastest car last week, but it was undoubtedly a top-five car. Blaney is top 10 in the Next-Gen big-flat track total speed rankings and is now in the home of his boss, Roger Penske. With his team winning four of the last seven races, there’s no point in doubting the No. 12 car and company now.
Driver Bs | Point-Getters
Tyler Reddick has let some wins slip through his fingers this season but has finished P6 or better in four of the last five races. After a Pocono race where he finished P6 and had an average running position of 11.9, Reddick remains on the short list of potential winners in Indianapolis. William Byron joins him on that list. The driver of the Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) No. 24 Chevrolet has a knack for winning big races and finished P4 at Pocono after a flawless day. With Byron at an affordable $9,000 and Reddick costing $8,800 on DraftKings, they’re both the ideal second driver for a NASCAR DFS team this week.
Fellow HMS driver Chase Elliott had what looked like the only car that could compete with Hamlin last week at Pocono when stuck in traffic. Still, you have to pay up for NASCAR’s most popular driver, as he’s the fourth-most expensive driver on DraftKings and second-most on Fantrax. That makes Elliott a strong play, but one I can go without him this week in lineups.
Also, keep an eye on Ford drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Both had an average running position and finishing position inside the T10 last week. Keselowski has won here before, while Logano should get a home-field advtange racing for Team Penske. Of the two, Lognao is my preferred option at $8,600 on DraftKings and $20.65 on Fantrax.
Driver Cs | In the Mix
It’s a slim C-Tier, but Alex Bowman absolutely deserves to be in it. Vibes are high in the No. 48 camp, coming off back-to-back T3 finishes. The No. 48 car ranked ninth in driver rating (96.5) last week at Pocono and churned out three fastest laps, providing bonus points on some platforms. At $8,200 on DraftKings specifically, he’s a certified bargain. Chris Buescher also fits that description this week. He had a better driver rating (101.6) and average position (10.2) than Bowman last week. With momentum in their favor and seeking a larger cushion to the cut line, look for the second Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing driver to be point racing and provide bonus stage points in formats that count them.
After qualifying on the pole last week, Ty Gibbs will undoubtedly unload a fast car this weekend. Whether or not he can keep it up front is the $8,300 question on DraftKings.
Driver Ds | Could Do Worse
With what appears to be winning upside now leaving the stable as we transition to the D-Tier, I have my eye on Daniel Suarez again. The Trackhouse Racing driver had a sound day at Pocono, sporting an average running position of 18.9 and finishing P16. That’s all I’m looking for in my NASCAR DFS lineup at the price of $7,400 on DraftKings and $17.31 on Fantrax.
Prior to a tough day at Pocono, Todd Gilliland had nine straight T20 finishes. I don’t expect him to have noteworthy speed on the big oval of Indianapolis, but I think he can return value at $6,500 on DraftKings and $16.67 on Fantrax.ย Also, don’t count out Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He’s finished P7 or better in three of his last five races and has been optimal several times lately. Sitting at $6,4000 on DraftKings and $14.45, he’s one of the better values on the board this week.
Driver Fs | The Junk Drawer
At a place like Indianapolis Motor Speedway, you can make a case for just about any F-Tier driver to have a surprising day. Still, Zane Smith is my favorite, as he qualified in the top 10 at Pocono and has four T20s in his last seven races. That’s what I call bargain shopping at $5,600 on DraftKings and $10.38 on Fantrax. And even though he’ll have one coming from Kyle Busch, I like his Spire Motorsports teammate Corey Lajoie this week. The “Stacking Pennies” host had an average running position of 19.8 and finished P14 at Pocono last week. Just $100 more than Smith on DraftKings, the No. 7 is worth a look.
Check out all of our content for the 2024 Brickyard 400:
- NASCAR DFS Picks, Tiers & Rankings: Brickyard 400
- Between Bets: 2024 Brickyard 400 Outrights
- PropKings: 2024 Brickyard 400
Thanks for reading our NASCAR DFS picks and tiers for the 2024 Ally 400. Check out more of our racing content and other written work here at In-Between Media, or head over to ourย YouTube channel to get your fix via video.
For more fantasy sports and sports betting content, you can find me on Twitter @Between_SethFF.
*Photo Credit: Eric Canha โ USA TODAY Sports*
