FlurrySports gives their NASCAR fantasy picks and other DFS lineup advice for the Goodyear 400 NASCAR race, including Tyler Reddick.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend for the first of two races at one of the most demanding tracks on the schedule. Known as the “Track Too Tough to Tame,” Darlington’s abrasive surface and unique egg-shaped layout place a premium on tire management, discipline and long-run speed — all factors that play a major role in shaping NASCAR fantasy strategy.
With that in mind, this week’s fantasy outlook focuses on drivers who can balance consistency with upside at a track that punishes mistakes.
Let’s dive into a full NASCAR fantasy preview for the Goodyear 400. Below, we’ll share our recommended lineup picks, take a look at this week’s featured head-to-head matchups and more.
NASCAR Fantasy Scoring Overview
For those who may be new to NASCAR Fantasy under the official rules this year, the good news is that the scoring system is fairly simple. Drivers in your lineup earn the same number of fantasy points as they do NASCAR standings points during the race.
The only new wrinkle this season is the increased number of points awarded to the race winner under the updated format.
The following list summarizes how drivers can accumulate NASCAR fantasy points:
- Outright Winner: 55 points
- Finishing Position: 35 points for second, 34 for third, and so on down to 1 point for finishing 36th or worse
- Stage Points: 10 points for a stage win, 9 for second, and so on down to 1 point for finishing 10th in a stage
- Fastest Lap of the Race: 1 point
Remember that each driver can only be used in your lineup 10 times during the 36-race season. That’s where strategy comes into play, as fantasy players must decide when to deploy their top drivers and when to rely on sleeper picks.
Finally, NASCAR Fantasy also offers four head-to-head driver matchups each week. For every matchup you correctly predict, you earn an additional 10 points toward your weekly score.
Don’t worry, we’ll share our recommendations for those matchups later in this column.
Goodyear 400 NASCAR Fantasy Picks
Lineup Locks
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick may not be the first name that comes to mind for a NASCAR fantasy lineup lock this week, but his Darlington results say otherwise. He has three runner-up finishes and five results of fourth or better over his last eight starts. Those positive results don’t include a near win in the 2024 Goodyear 400 before late contact.
Darlington’s preferred high line plays directly into Reddick’s dirt-track background, and the numbers back it up. He leads all drivers with an average driver rating of 111.4 over the last six races here, making him one of the safest and highest-upside plays on the board.
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Denny Hamlin enters Darlington in a familiar position, coming off an outright win just as he did before winning this race a year ago. Few drivers manage tires and long green-flag runs better, a skillset that consistently separates contenders at “The Lady in Black.”
Hamlin’s track record speaks for itself. He owns five career wins at Darlington along with a remarkable lifetime average finish of 7.9. He is firmly among the most trusted anchors for fantasy lineups this weekend.
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
William Byron has shown a clear edge in the 400-mile Darlington race compared to the Southern 500. While his overall average finish sits at 12.3 over his last 10 starts, his three worst results have all come in the longer fall event, highlighting a noticeable split in performance.
In the Goodyear 400 specifically, Byron has recorded one win and an average finish of 5.2 over the last five races. Combined with his 107.6 average driver rating across the last six Darlington events, he profiles as one of the most reliable NASCAR fantasy options this weekend.
Drivers to Avoid
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney has struggled to find consistent success at Darlington throughout his Cup Series career, posting an average finish of 18.7 with just one top-five result. Simply put, this has not been one of his stronger tracks.
While he has shown some improvement with three top-10 finishes in the last six races here, there should be better opportunities to deploy Blaney in fantasy lineups later in the season.
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Fading Kyle Larson is never without risk, as he is capable of winning at any track, including Darlington. However, this may not be the optimal spot to deploy him in NASCAR fantasy formats. At the time of writing, he is among the most heavily rostered drivers this week, setting up a sneaky contrarian fade.
Despite leading 364 laps over the last six races here, Larson has just two top-10 finishes to show for it, highlighting the volatility he brings to this track. With limited usage in many formats and several upcoming races where he profiles as a safer play, saving Larson for a better opportunity could prove to be the sharper long-term strategy.
Sleepers to Consider
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Chris Buescher continues to be one of the most reliable performers at Darlington. Over the last six races here, he has finished outside the top 10 just once — a misleading result in the 2024 Goodyear 400 after late contact while battling Tyler Reddick for the win.
Buescher also led the Ford camp last week at Las Vegas, and RFK Racing has shown consistent strength at Darlington in recent years. He’s a viable NASCAR fantasy sleeper most weeks, and Darlington is arguably one of the best spots to deploy him.
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
No matter the team or manufacturer, Erik Jones consistently finds a way to exceed expectations at Darlington. Simply put, this is his best track when it comes to top-end results.
While much of his success came during his time at Joe Gibbs Racing, he has continued to deliver strong finishes since. Jones scored his second career Southern 500 win with Petty GMS four years ago and followed it with a third-place finish here last fall, now under the Legacy Motor Club banner with Toyota.
NASCAR Fantasy Driver Matchups and Predictions
The following are the four driver head-to-head matchups that are spotlighted by NASCAR Fantasy this week, along with our predictions for each.
Denny Hamlin vs. William Byron
Both drivers are strong NASCAR fantasy lineup options this week, but it’s hard to go against Denny Hamlin’s track record at Darlington, especially coming off a win last week.
Prediction: Denny Hamlin
Chase Elliott vs. Christopher Bell
Chase Elliott has quietly produced consistent results at Darlington of late, but has lacked high-end upside. Christopher Bell, meanwhile, has shown race-winning pace with two third-place finishes in his last three starts here.
Prediction: Christopher Bell
Ross Chastain vs. Daniel Suarez
Former Trackhouse teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez bring some added intrigue into this matchup, but the track stats clearly favor Chastain. He has two top-five finishes and no result worse than 11th over the last five Darlington races.
Prediction: Ross Chastain
Brad Keselowski vs. Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs impressed with a runner-up finish in the 2024 Goodyear 400, but the driver who beat him that day was Brad Keselowski. With his experience and strong history at Darlington, Keselowski gets the nod here.
Prediction: Brad Keselowski
NASCAR Fantasy 36 for 36 Selection
Each week, we conclude our NASCAR Fantasy column with a 36 for 36 selection. For those who may be new to the game, this is a separate contest from the standard NASCAR Fantasy format. Managers must select one driver for each race throughout the season, with that driver’s fantasy points contributing to their overall total.
The catch is that each driver can only be used once over the course of the season. Think of it as a blend between NASCAR fantasy scoring (without a full lineup) and an NFL survivor contest, but without eliminations.
Erik Jones is a natural fit for this format at Darlington, given his track history, even if much of his success has come in the Southern 500. With Chase Briscoe claiming that race each of the last two years, opting to use Jones here makes plenty of sense.
36 for 36 Pick: Erik Jones
