RADIO
Should Fantasy Managers Consider Ty Gibbs for Talladega DFS Lineups?
Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs qualified eighth for the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday. It will be the fifth time in his Cup career that Gibbs will start inside the top 10. In eight prior Talladega Cup starts, Gibbs has one top-10 finish and an average finish of 23.9. After 33 races so far this season, Gibbs has two wins, 19 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.8. Gibbs only has one top-10 finish and three DNFs at the drafting tracks. Because he starts near the front, Gibbs has little upside, making him risky to use in DFS for Talladega this week. Although he has the equipment to compete for a top-10 finish, fantasy players are better off considering other drivers with more upside than Gibbs, whose history at drafting tracks is inconsistent.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Tank Dell Officially Active for Week 7 Against Giants
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is active for Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the New York Giants, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, but he's a deeper-league stash, not a safe starter. Dell will make his first regular-season appearance since December 21, 2024, when he suffered a serious knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs. Houston activated the 26-year-old on Saturday and removed his questionable designation after he practiced in full throughout Week 7. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has tempered expectations for Dell's return, and the Texans already have considerable competition for targets with Nico Collins, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jaylin Noel. Given his lengthy absence and uncertain initial workload, Dell is a risky Week 7 starter.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Bubba Wallace has Favorable Upside for Talladega DFS Lineups
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing is starting in 25th for the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This will be the lowest starting position for Wallace since the October 2024 race at Talladega. In 17 Cup starts at Talladega, Wallace has one win, four top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 19.6. Wallace also placed in the top 10 in three of the last four Talladega races. In 33 Cup races completed this season, Wallace has 15 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.0. This also includes three top-20 finishes at drafting tracks this year. With his starting position in the middle of the pack, Wallace has plenty of upside and some of the best equipment in the field. Expect Wallace to be one of the more favorable DFS options to consider for this week's race.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Breece Hall Ruled Out Against Dolphins in Week 7
New York Jets running back Breece Hall (quad) will not play in Sunday's Week 7 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, which makes Braelon Allen a strong RB2 option for Week 7. Hall was questionable after two limited practices heading into the game but will miss his fourth consecutive game since suffering the injury in Week 3. Allen has handled at least 86% of New York's offensive snaps during each of Hall's three-game absences, recording 44 touches, 220 scrimmage yards, and one touchdown over the past two contests. Isaiah Davis has served as his primary backup, and the Jets should continue leaning heavily on Allen against Miami.
Source: Adam Schefter
Source: Adam Schefter
Shane Van Gisbergen is A Huge DFS Risk for Talladega Lineups
Shane Van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing will start in the fourth position for the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This marks the first time that Van Gisbergen will start inside the top five in a Cup race at the site. In five races at Talladega, SVG has three top-20 finishes with a best finish of 11th and an average finish of 20.6. After 33 races so far this year, Van Gisbergen has two wins, nine top-10 finishes, with two of them being at drafting tracks, and an average finish of 18.6. SVG is not an ideal driver to consider for DFS lineups due to his high starting position. He carries a high risk of losing Place Differential and has low upside, especially when drafting tracks aren't where he performs best. Fantasy players should consider other alternative drivers with more upside and cap flexibility than Van Gisbergen at Talladega this week.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is Ryan Blaney a Must-Play in DFS at Talladega?
Ryan Blaney is one of the most feared superspeedway racers in the Cup Series, as the No. 12 Ford always seems to find its way to the front at this track type. And this weekend at Talladega, Blaney had a pretty disappointing qualifying effort, ending up just 27th-fastest on the board. And with Place Differential upside being so important for DFS players at a track like Talladega, does that make Blaney a must-play this weekend? Not so fast. There's no doubt that the upside is there for a driver like Ryan Blaney this weekend, especially when you consider that he went on a three-race streak of first- or second-place finishes here in 2022 and 2023. However, int he five races since then, the No. 12 Ford hasn't finished better than 20th, and in three of the last four, this team has wrecked out and ended up in 37th-place or worse. The Place Differential upside for Blaney at Talladega this weekend is definitely there, but a contrarian play would definitely be to go underweight on the Team Penske driver in tournaments.
Source: Sports Illustrated
Source: Sports Illustrated
Christopher Bell Could Surprise at Talladega
Keep an eye on Christopher Bell this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is improving at the drafting tracks as of late, and since the start of 2025, he's had the seventh-best driver rating on this track type while crashing while battling for the lead on two separate occasions. At Talladega specifically, Bell has just four top-10 finishes in 13 career starts, but two of those have come in the last four. More specifically, those two top-10s have come in the last two fall races here, with an eighth-place effort last season, and a sixth-place finish in 2024. This weekend, Bell qualified sixth for the YellaWood 500, which makes him a super risky DFS play. There's a little bit of Place Differential upside there, but it's probably safer to just stay away from the No. 20 Toyota on Sunday for the most part.
Source: ifantasyrace
Source: ifantasyrace
Connor Zilisch Provides Little Upside for Talladega DFS Lineups
NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch will start in the third position for this week's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. This will be Zilisch's first top-5 start at the site in his Cup career. In his only prior start at Talladega in the Cup Series earlier this year, Zilisch started 32nd and went on to finish 26th. Through 33 races so far this season, Zilisch has two top-10 finishes and an overall average finish of 26.8. Zilisch's starting position towards the front makes him a huge risk to consider for DFS lineups and provides little upside. The No. 88 Chevrolet driver also has yet to finish above 25th this year at a drafting track, making him one to avoid for fantasy, especially when there are other alternatives with more upside and cap flexibility available.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Baker Mayfield to Wear Protective Glove Against Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (right thumb) profiles as a Week 7 QB2 whose greatest fantasy appeal comes in Superflex and deeper leagues, and he will wear a custom protective glove for Sunday's matchup against the Carolina Panthers. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared a photo of the custom equipment ahead of kickoff. Developed with assistance from the Tampa Bay Rays, the glove features reinforcement behind Mayfield's dislocated thumb to prevent it from bending backward. Mayfield acknowledged that wearing the glove requires adjustments to his grip and release point but said he feels comfortable throwing with the glove on. The veteran practiced in full throughout Week 7, and head coach Todd Bowles expects him to start after a three-game absence despite his questionable designation. Mayfield threw for 615 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in his first three starts, and he will return without wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (concussion/foot).
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Chase Briscoe an Easy Fade in DFS at Talladega
Chase Briscoe won the pole for this weekend's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday afternoon with a lap of 186.065 mph, beating out Austin Hill (185.949 mph) for the top spot on the starting grid. And while starting up front is great for Briscoe's track position to start the race day, it's not great for his DFS potential. At superspeedways like Talladega, Place Differential is the only thing to focus on when it comes to building daily fantasy lineups, and Briscoe has zero upside this weekend--only downside. Yes, he did win here at Talladega last season after starting second, but he still didn't make the optimal lineup in that race. DFS players are going to pick Briscoe this weekend simply because of his race-winning potential, but fading him will give you an early leg up on the competition due to his major downside in daily fantasy scoring.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Austin Cindric a Boom-or-Bust DFS Play at Talladega
Austin Cindric will definitely be on many DFS managers' radars this weekend, as the Team Penske driver qualified in 28th place for this weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway. As is the case at any drafting track, Place Differential is the name of the game, and a starting spot of 28th provides plenty of room for that. Additionally, Cindric is solid at Talladega, with one win and four top-10 finishes over the last eight races here. The downside? His four other results here have all been 23rd-place or worse. Quite the boom-or-bust driver, it seems. The upside is there for Cindric in DFS this weekend, but there's plenty of downside, too. Which side will you take? As random as these races go, and with how popular a daily fantasy pick he'll be, it may be better to go underweight on him.
Source: DriverAverages
Source: DriverAverages
Braelon Allen a Strong Week 7 RB2 Against Dolphins
New York Jets running back Braelon Allen is a strong RB2 start in 12-team leagues against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7 if Breece Hall (quadriceps) is officially ruled out, which looks likely. Hall is reportedly unlikely to play Sunday, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport indicated he could test the injury before kickoff, although a fourth consecutive absence appears likely. Allen has dominated the backfield during Hall's absence, playing 30 of 32 offensive snaps in Week 4, 60 of 70 in Week 5, and 54 of 62 in Week 6. He has rushed for 253 yards and a touchdown on 55 carries across those three starts, adding five receptions for 34 yards. Miami presents a favorable matchup for a running back receiving that level of opportunity, while a Hall return would significantly reduce Allen's projected workload.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Carson Hocevar Looking to Go Back-to-Back at Talladega
Last spring at Talladega Superspeedway, it was Carson Hocevar in victory lane, preceding the infamous victory celebration that he had that day. Now, Hocevar will look to go back-to-back, as the Cup Series heads to Talladega for the final superspeedway race of the season. 'Dega has been a good track for "The Hurricane," as he has finished sixth or better in three straight races here. This weekend, the No. 77 Chevrolet ended up just 26th-fastest in qualifying, but Hocevar wasn't too surprised by that, remarking, "I don't think our qualifying speed is going to be very good" before going out for his time trial lap. It's not about where you start, though, it's where you finish, and with a 26th-place starting spot and a good track record, Hocevar makes for a solid DFS play this weekend at Talladega due to his Place Differential upside. He is priced at $9.0K on DraftKings.
Source: PitByNumbers
Source: PitByNumbers
Austin Hill Qualifies Second at Talladega
Austin Hill is known for his superspeedway prowess in the lower series of NASCAR, and it appears he may be able to flex his muscles in the Cup Series as well. Hill qualified on the outside pole for this weekend's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, and if this year's summer race at Daytona is any indication, he may be a contender to lead a bunch of laps on Sunday. At Daytona in August, Hill started third and led a race-high 27 laps before ultimately finishing 27th. Still, a solid run for a struggling team. As far as this weekend goes, it's certainly possible that Austin Hill leads again, but he should be avoided in DFS due to his extreme Place Differential downside. He's certainly an underdog to keep an eye on this weekend, but not in daily fantasy tournaments.
Source: Jayski
Source: Jayski
Josh Jacobs Will Start in Week 7 and Handle "Normal" Workload
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will make his season debut against the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon in Week 7. The veteran ball-carrier spent the first six weeks of the season on the commissioner's exempt list. Jacobs will be the starter on Sunday and is expected to handle a "normal allotment of reps," according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The team will monitor Jacobs' productivity throughout the game and could scale back his work if necessary, but for now, the plan is that he'll be a full-go. That's great news for the Packers, who struggled to get production from the running back position in Jacobs' absence. Green Bay's 59.8 rushing yards per game this season rank last in the NFL, and it's a whopping 16.2 yards below the second-lowest mark (Dallas). Jacobs will look to reverse that trend, as he has previously shown that he's capable of pushing for triple-digit scrimmage yard totals in any given week. For now, he ranks as a mid-range RB2 in fantasy football.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
