April 27, 2025
In one of the more amusing anecdotes from qualifying, Chase Briscoe qualified 17th (slowest of the four Joe Gibbs Racing cars) after being penalized for a spoiler modification at the Daytona 500, where he had shocked everyone by winning the pole. Even though the penalty was rescinded, his inexplicable pole interrupting the perennial Ford qualifying dominance at the tracks likely had something to do with the infraction nonetheless, so his car won't likely be as fast this time in the race either. As with Alex Bowman, he's in a kind of no man's land where he qualified too well to gain many positions but too poorly to likely factor for the lead and earn lap leader points. Briscoe is probably even less valuable when considering he costs $300 more than Bowman.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
Alex Bowman qualified 18th at Talladega yesterday, which is consistent with his relatively bland performance there as this marks his seventh consecutive starting position outside the top ten after six consecutive top ten starts before that. While qualifying certainly doesn't matter there and he has had laps in every other race at Talladega, he isn't likely to be one of the dominant drivers in the race even with his recent uptick in speed and he is usually better at Daytona. He also qualified slightly too well to be a top contender for DFS teams when considering there are several better drivers who started behind him and are likely to finish ahead of him. All three of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates are likely better options.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
While Chris Buescher has seemed to maintain his consistency of recent seasons, he and RFK Racing in general have seemed to lose a lot of speed as he has not led a lap in the first nine races of 2025. Even though he qualified sixth at Talladega, a track which is traditionally conducive to a lot of lead changes, don't expect that trend to necessarily change today as he also qualified sixth for the Daytona 500 and never led that race. He qualified well enough that he should likely be avoided for DFS unless you think he is likely to dominate the race and earn a lot of lap leader points. Since he has a Ford and has won at Daytona, that's not impossible but the RFK Fords have never seemed to have as much speed as the Penske or even Front Row Motorsports Fords on drafting tracks of late and he has historically tended to be better at Daytona than Talladega.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
Ty Gibbs has slightly recovered from a disastrous start to the season with three consecutive good runs elevating him from 34th to 20th in the points standings. He qualified 10th ahead of all other Toyota drivers for today's Talladega race. However, that is not a good thing for DFS lineups because he qualified too well to gain many positions, so the primary value a top qualifier has is if they lead a lot of laps in the race, but even though he contended for the win in last year's second Atlanta race, he is unlikely to lead much in a race where the Fords are likely to dominate, nor is he likely to finish well given his recent history. He is one of the absolute worst choices for DFS lineups and must be avoided at all costs, even though he is available relatively cheaply at $7,000.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
Although Carson Hocevar only qualified 28th at Talladega yesterday and was genuinely rather slow in most of last year's drafting track races, he earned his best career finish (a second) in the previous drafting race at Atlanta despite starting 26th, which means he seems to be driving less conservatively now and is more willing to fight for the lead. Coming off of last week's race at Bristol (which was one of Hocevar's fastest races ever), he clearly has positive momentum entering this race. Considering he has the potential to gain many positions, is available relatively cheaply at $6,900, and has a relatively weak surface record on this track type, he's a very strong pick for DFS if you think he is more likely to replicate this year's Atlanta run than last year's lackluster runs.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
J.J. Yeley starts 39th and last at Talladega for the NY Racing Team. If there is any track type where he might have value for DFS purposes, it is the drafting track as the only chance he might have a decent finish for that team is if he doesn't crash and many of the drivers in faster cars do. That is always a possibility on drafting tracks. However, Talladega races have not typically been as chaotic as Daytona races or to a lesser extent Atlanta races and there have tended to be relatively few cars crashing at Talladega lately. As a result, it's extremely unlikely that enough cars will crash out for Yeley to gain as many positions as he needs to become valuable, particularly when there are so many other faster cars and drivers who didn't qualify much better.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
April 27, 2025
Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson potted a huge goal in Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, scoring a 4-3 winner in overtime to extend the series. The Senators were in danger of being swept in the first round and gave up a late game-tying goal in the third period. However, Sanderson was able to keep his team alive with a strike at the 17:42 mark in overtime. The 22-year-old also notched a power-play assist in the contest, leading all skaters on the team in ice time with 30:05. He finished with three shots, three blocks, one hit, and two penalty minutes. For the series, Sanderson has logged three points (one goal, two assists), nine shots, eight blocks, and four hits in four games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 27, 2025
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots en route to his first career postseason shutout in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. Blackwood had suffered a pair of overtime defeats in the series before putting together a perfect display. Colorado last recorded a shutout in the playoffs in Game 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. Blackwood impressed with the Avalanche during the regular season, going 22-12-3, and has maintained the momentum in the playoffs. After four games in the series, Blackwood boasts a 1.60 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 27, 2025
Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog was among the goal-scorers in Saturday's 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars, lighting the lamp for the first time since Game 3 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. He netted a one-timer off an assist from Brock Nelson in the second period to put Colorado ahead 3-0 for the night. Landeskog went on to collect an assist in the third period when Samuel Girard scored the final goal of the game. He registered three shots and two hits to complement his two points over 14:37 of action. Landeskog's return from a nearly three-year absence is an incredible story, and he has quickly proven that he can still be an impactful two-way player with two points and eight hits across two games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 27, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev registered two points, including the game-winning goal, in Saturday's 4-3 overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota was looking to grab a 3-1 playoff series lead for the first time in franchise history, but Barbashev had other plans. He picked up an early power-play assist and scored his first career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 17:26 played in the extra frame. These are Barbashev's first points of the postseason. He has been held in check by the Wild after Barbashev had his second 50-point campaign, notching 23 goals and 28 assists in 70 regular-season games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 27, 2025
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov recorded three assists in Saturday's 5-1 victory against the Florida Panthers. The Lightning desperately needed a road win to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the series, and one of their leaders stepped up big time in the contest. Kucherov had managed only one point -- a power-play assist -- in the first two games of the matchup. He now holds 11 career postseason games with three or more helpers, ranking third all-time behind Wayne Gretzky (28) and Mark Messier (12). When Kucherov is in form, the Lightning perform well, and the team will hope he can sustain his productivity for the rest of the way.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
April 27, 2025
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Troy Stecher (undisclosed) will be an option for Game 4 against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. The 31-year-old has missed five consecutive games due to an undisclosed injury. Stecher recorded seven points (three goals, four assists), 55 shots, 66 blocks, and 35 hits in 66 games during the regular season. Although he has not made a significant impact with the Oilers, the team may decide to shake up its defense after allowing 16 goals over the first three games of the series. Ty Emberson, who has registered three shots, seven hits, and three blocks in the series, could be the one heading to the press box.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Daniel Nugent-Bowman
April 27, 2025
Ryan Blaney is the favorite to win the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend according to sportsbooks across the country. The Team Penske driver is one of the best at superspeedway racing and was a strong contender at both Daytona and Atlanta earlier this season. Here at Talladega specifically, Blaney is a three-time winner and has finished first or second in three of his six starts here in the Next Gen era. This weekend, Blaney will roll off the starting grid from ninth-place when the Jack Link's 500 goes green. This gives him a little bit of Place Differential upside with obvious race-winning potential as well. When it comes to DFS contests, Blaney is sure to be one of the higher-owned drivers on the slate. While it's important to have some exposure to a strong drafter like him, there's a strategy play in being underweight to the field in tournaments due to the volatile nature of races at Talladega.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: CBS Sports
April 27, 2025
In the Next Gen era, William Byron has been one of the best at drafting tracks. In addition to his two Daytona 500 victories, Byron also has two wins over at Atlanta, which was recently converted into a drafting-style track. One place that Byron has yet to get a win at, though, is Talladega Superspeedway--although you have to think that a victory is coming soon. Over the six Next Gen races at this track, Byron has yet to finish worse than 15th at Talladega, and he's currently on a four-race streak of top-seven results. In the last two fall races, he's came home with podium finishes each time. This weekend, Willy B qualified mid-pack in 16th, which gives him Place Differential upside with a moderate amount of risk. In tournament-style contests on DraftKings, he makes for a strong play to consider, especially when you take into account his history at this track type.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: NASCAR.com
April
27,
2025
If
Brad
Keselowski
is
going
to
make
the
Playoffs
this
season,
it's
looking
more
and
more
likely
that
he's
going
to
have
to
win
a
race
to
get
in.
After
nine
races
completed
this
season,
Keselowski
sits
in
31st-place
and
68
read more...
April 27, 2025
Ross Chastain should be one of your most-used drivers in DFS this weekend. The Trackhouse Racing driver has been one of the strongest at Talladega Superspeedway in the Next Gen era, with the fifth-best driver rating among active drivers in the six races here with this new car. Additionally, Chastain went to victory lane here back in 2022 and also had a fourth-place finish to his credit that season. This weekend, the Watermelon Man will roll off the starting grid from 32nd-place when the Jack Link's 500 goes green, which means Chastain has very high Place Differential upside for DFS players. Because of that, along with his very strong track history, you should have plenty of Chastain exposure with your daily fantasy lineups at Talladega on Sunday. At Atlanta earlier this season--which is another drafting track--Ross came home eighth after starting back in 33rd.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Driver Averages
April 27, 2025
As is usually the case at Talladega Superspeedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr will be one of the most popular drivers in DFS contests this weekend, as the No. 47 Chevrolet will roll off the starting grid from 35th-place on Sunday. At only $7,500 on DraftKings, that makes Stenhouse a great pick in daily fantasy contests due to his Place Differential upside alone. Add in the fact that he's one of the strongest racers on superspeedway tracks in the series and it's hard to make a case against Stenhouse this weekend. Obviously there is a strategy angle by going against him in DFS on Sunday, but the upside here is extremely hard to ignore. Stenhouse is a two-time winner at Talladega and has posted top-10 finishes in 11 of his 23 career starts at this track.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
April 27, 2025
Zane Smith continued the strong superspeedway qualifying efforts for Front Row Motorsports this weekend, as he captured his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series pole by over a tenth with a lap of 182.174 mph on Saturday morning. The Fords are always strong at the big, drafting tracks, and Zane will have the best track position to start the race with on Sunday in the Jack Link's 500. However, he should be avoided when it comes to DFS contests. The pole sitter rarely wins the race at a track like Talladega, and with dominator points being so spread out at tracks like this, it makes the driver starting first one of the worst options on the slate. Even if Smith runs inside the top five all day on Sunday, it's not worth the risk in rostering him in DFS due to the extremely high negative Place Differential probability.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Jayski
April 27, 2025
Some NASCAR Cup Series drivers have certain tracks figured out. That's the case with Erik Jones and Talladega Superspeedway. In 16 career starts at this track, "That Jones Boy" has walked away with top-10 finishes half of the time, and even has three top-five results to go along with his. Over the last seven races here, Jones has been even more impressive, finishing ninth or better five times over that span. Now, obviously track history doesn't predict future success at a volatile track like Talladega, but the point still remains: Jones is a solid superspeedway racer. He also finished 12th in the Daytona 500 earlier this season. This weekend, Jones qualified way back in 34th-place for Sunday's race, which makes him an excellent Place Differential play in DFS contests. You should have plenty of Erik Jones in your DFS lineups on Sunday, especially with his very palatable $6,400 salary on DraftKings.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
April 27, 2025
Could we see Todd Gilliland finally break through with a win in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend? It's not overly likely, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Front Row Motorsports driver run up front on Sunday. Gilliland has a strong track record at Talladega Superspeedway, with top-10 finishes in three of his six career starts here. Add in another 12th-place finish to his résumé and Talladega has been one of the strongest track for him (average finish-wise) in the Cup Series. This weekend, Gilliland qualified a relatively disappointing 15th for Sunday's Jack Link's 500, which makes him an interesting DFS option. At $7,200 on the DraftKings slate, Gilliland is a mid-tier driver with limited Place Differential upside. However, if he's able to pull off a top-five finish, Gilliland will get to the coveted 50+ FPTS mark. He's definitely an option in DFS tournaments on Sunday, but be careful with how much exposure you have on Gilliland this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Speedway Media
April 27, 2025
John Hunter Nemechek hasn't been overly impressive since joining the NASCAR Cup Series full-time, but superspeedway races have given JHN opportunities to shine. In nine career Cup Series starts between Daytona and Talladega, Nemechek has finished 15th or better seven times, including a pair of eighth-place finishes here at Talladega during the 2020 season while driving for Front Row Motorsports. In the Next Gen era, Talladega hasn't been as kind to JHN, but he's wound up seventh, 15th, and fifth over his last three races at Daytona. He also ended up 10th at Atlanta this year, which is another, smaller drafting track. This weekend, Nemechek qualified back in 29th-place for the Jack Link's 500, which gives him great Place Differential upside in DFS contests. You should have plenty of JHN exposure on Sunday.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: DraftKings Network
April 27, 2025
Riley Herbst qualified 23rd for this weekend's Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, which makes him a very interesting DFS option for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race. At just $5,700, Herbst is a cheap option on the slate, but he has a strong race car with his 23XI Toyota, and his track record at superspeedways isn't awful; in addition to finishing ninth here at Talladega in 2023, Herbst has also been able to post top-20 results in four of his six Cup Series starts at this track type. His 23rd-place starting spot this weekend is going to keep his ownership low on the slate, but there's still Place Differential upside with that. A top-10 finish out of Herbst would earn 47+ FPTS on DraftKings this weekend, which would (more than likely) help earn DFS players big money in tournaments. Don't go too overboard with Herbst this weekend, but make sure you have a decent amount of exposure relative to the field on Sunday.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Driver Averages
April 27, 2025
Don't overlook Anthony Alfredo with your DFS lineups this weekend in the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. "Fast Pasta" doesn't race a lot in the NASCAR Cup Series, but when he does, he typically makes the most of it. In four career starts at Talladega, Alfredo has finished 12th or better three times, and has never ended up worse than 24th. If he can continue that this weekend, DraftKings players are looking at a great value pick in Alfredo at just $5,300 on the slate. The No. 62 Chevrolet will roll off the starting grid from 31st-place, which means Alfredo has incredible Place Differential upside at a track that he has shown promise at several times before. Don't be afraid to sprinkle plenty of Alfredo into your DraftKings lineups this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Speedway Digest
April 27, 2025
One interesting driver for this weekend's Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway is AJ Allmendinger. The Kaulig Racing Chevrolets are known for their superspeedway speed in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series, but Allmendinger doesn't have the best reputation on drafting tracks. With that being said, the numbers actually aren't too bad for Dinger at NASCAR's biggest tracks. Over his seven starts at superspeedways in the Next Gen era, AJ has posted two top-10 finishes, and he's wound up inside that mark in eight of his last 16 starts at this track type overall. The interesting part this weekend is that he qualified in 19th-place. In DFS contests, most players are going to simply overlook Allmendinger and go with some bigger names with high Place Differential upside. However, another top-10 finish will easily get AJ inside that coveted 40+ FPTS range on DraftKings on Sunday. In tournaments, it's worth being overweight on the field with Allmendinger, but nothing too excessive.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Kickin the Tires
April 27, 2025
It's not very often that we're talking about BJ McLeod as a usable pick in DFS, but when Talladega rolls around, he usually ends up in the conversation. The nature of superspeedway racing is a great equalizer and allows bottom-tier drivers and teams (like McLeod and his No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet) to challenge for respectable finishes (comparative to their normal results). Just last season, McLeod finished 22nd at Talladega and 19th at Daytona despite starting back in 38th-place for both races. That Place Differential upside is what makes him a possible pick at these tracks. This weekend in the Jack Link's 500, McLeod will once again roll off the starting grid from 38th-place. Although he is by no means a slam-dunk fantasy pick, the potential for him to move up in the finishing order due to wrecks during the race make BJ McLeod a low-tier option in DFS this weekend--just don't go too crazy on ownership. Between five and 10 percent is sufficient.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Driver Averages
April 27, 2025
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher
Luis Castillo (3-2) dominated the Miami Marlins on Saturday, tossing six scoreless innings in a 14-0 win. Castillo allowed just one hit and two walks while punching out five. The 32-year-old was coming off two outings where he allowed 23 baserunners in just 9 ⅓ IP, so a start like this one was sorely needed. He improves to (3-2) with a 3.62 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 32 ⅓ IP. Fantasy managers will hope he can build off this start next Saturday when he is projected to face the Texas Rangers on the road.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 27, 2025
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto showed off his power-speed combo on Saturday, going 3-for-4 with a homer and three steals in a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Neto is now hitting .300 with a .990 OPS, five runs, three homers, five RBI, and three steals in 30 at-bats. The 24-year-old is only a week into his season as he returned from shoulder surgery on April 18, but so far, so good. He popped some impressive numbers last season, including 23 homers and 30 steals, and if the Angels' shortstop can build on those, he should be a stud in fantasy. Neto is still available in some leagues but should be rostered in all leagues now.--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 27, 2025
Cincinnati Reds outfielder
Austin Hays continued his torrid start to the season on Saturday, smashing two homers in a 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. Hays has been incredible in a small sample size for the Reds, as he is now hitting .386 with a 1.222 OPS, 12 runs, five homers, 11 RBI, and a steal in 44 at-bats. The 29-year-old appears to be a great fit in Cincy, and it looks like he will have ample playing time. Hays should be rostered in all standard-size leagues at this point, and makes for a great waiver wire pickup with seven home games next week.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 27, 2025
Seattle Mariners designated hitter/third baseman
Jorge Polanco went 2-for-4 with two home runs, a walk, and an additional run scored in Saturday's 14-0 win over the Miami Marlins. Polanco has four homers in his last four games as he continues to play some of the best ball of his career. The 31-year-old has been studly for the M's this year, hitting .354 with a 1.085 OPS, 10 runs, seven homers, 18 RBI, and a stolen base in 65 at-bats. The only issue for Polanco right now is that he isn't playing every day, but at this point, he should still be rostered in most fantasy leagues, at least until he cools off.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 27, 2025
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers went 3-for-7 with a homer, a double, two walks, two RBI, and two additional runs scored in Saturday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians. Devers is now hitting .210 with a .722 OPS, 18 runs, three homers, and 16 RBI. So far, it has been a disappointing season for the 28-year-old star, who came into Saturday without a hit in his last five games (15 at-bats). The good news for fantasy managers is that Devers is severely underperforming his expected stats and will likely regress to his usual self soon, so hold steady and don't sell low.--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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