NASCAR DFS Preview: 2025 Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami
The Bissett Perspective DFS DraftKings lineup
Fresh off Las Vegas Victory, Berry Looks to Challenge Defending Winner Reddick
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to South Florida for Sunday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where last week's Las Vegas winner Josh Berry will start from the outside front row alongside pole-sitter Alex Bowman. The 1.5-mile progressive banking oval has become one of the most challenging and exciting tracks on the circuit, rewarding skilled "rim riders" who can master the treacherous high line against the wall.
Race Information:
Event: Straight Talk Wireless 400
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Date: Sunday, March 24, 2025
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
Distance: 400 miles (267 laps)
Stages: Stage 1 (80 laps), Stage 2 (85 laps), Final Stage (102 laps)
Defending Winner: Tyler Reddick
Driver Analysis
Tyler Reddick ($10,700) | Odds to Win: +700
Tyler Reddick stands out as an elite DFS play this weekend, starting from the 20th position at a track where he's consistently demonstrated exceptional performance. His "rim riding" ability - running the high line right against the wall - is perfectly suited for Homestead-Miami Speedway, making him one of the most skilled drivers at this particular track. His practice performance on Saturday reinforces his potential, posting the ninth-fastest overall lap and the sixth-best 30-lap average.
His track record at Homestead is remarkable: in five career starts, he's finished fourth or better in four of them, with his only poor finish coming from a wreck in 2022. As the defending race winner, Reddick combines three valuable DFS elements this weekend:
Significant place differential potential starting 20th
Race-winning upside
Potential dominator points
Despite the premium price tag ($10,700), Reddick offers massive upside through multiple scoring avenues. His place differential potential alone makes him worth consideration, and when combined with his proven ability to lead laps at this track, he becomes one of the strongest plays on the slate regardless of price.
AJ Allmendinger ($7,000) | Odds to Win: +8000
While typically known as a road course specialist, AJ Allmendinger has quietly become one of the most consistent performers at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Next Gen era. Tied with Christopher Bell for the best average finish (5.3) at the track, Allmendinger's recent performance here has been remarkable. Over his last three races at Homestead, he's collected two top-five finishes and hasn't finished worse than eighth - particularly impressive considering his average starting position of 22.3 during this span.
This weekend, Allmendinger rolls off 10th for the Straight Talk Wireless 400, coincidentally the same starting position he had in 2022 when he drove to a strong third-place finish. While his higher starting position somewhat limits his place-differential upside for DFS purposes, his exceptional track record still makes him a viable option in large-field tournament formats, especially given his budget-friendly price point.
Denny Hamlin ($9,700) | Odds to Win: +1200
Denny Hamlin's track record at Homestead is impressive, with 13 top-10 finishes in 20 starts and three victories. His performance in the Next Gen era has been particularly noteworthy, having led laps in all three races with this chassis. Last year, he was in contention for the win, battling with Ryan Blaney and his 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick.
However, there are several red flags for this weekend:
Recent crew chief change from Chris Gabehart to Chris Gayle
Disappointing performance last week at Las Vegas (started 15th, finished 25th, average running position of 22nd)
Price tag remains high despite performance concerns
Starting 23rd presents significant place-differential potential, and his history of leading laps at Homestead would normally make him an attractive DFS play. However, the crew chief change and recent performance issues suggest he might be overvalued at $9,700. Consider him a contrarian tournament play rather than a core cash game option, as there's risk that his typically strong Homestead performance could be compromised by his team's current transition period.
Josh Berry ($7,400) | Odds to Win: +3000
After Josh Berry's semi-surprise first win at Las Vegas last week, he starts on the outside front row at Homestead, showing continued improvement in his sophomore season. His previous experience here is limited but encouraging - he secured an 11th-place finish in his first Homestead start last year. While Berry has shown increased speed throughout 2025, his front-row starting position limits his DraftKings upside unless he can maintain track position and lead laps. He's demonstrated the ability to run up front, though historically has needed some help from faster cars encountering issues to secure top positions. From a DFS perspective, his qualifying position creates risk at this price point, as there's limited place-differential upside starting from the front row. Consider him primarily in tournament lineups where you project him to lead laps early in the race.
Daniel Suarez ($8,600) | Odds to Win: +5000
After Daniel Suárez's unexpected second-place finish last week at Las Vegas where his teammate Ross Chastain seemed to have the most speed for a while, Suárez qualified a miserable 33rd at Homestead, which suggests there's a lot of value there if the Trackhouse Racing cars are able to carry over their speed to other intermediate tracks. Homestead is not normally a top track for Suárez, though, as he has only earned a single top-10 finish once, but he has finished in the top 16 in his last four starts. He's likely to gain a lot of spots from 33rd, but admittedly there are a lot of races where Suárez seems to have no speed at all, and it doesn't seem like his fast races are very predictable. Nonetheless, given his poor qualifying, his recent finishes, and Trackhouse's speed last week, Suárez is probably undervalued.His mid-range price point and steady performance make him a solid cash game option, particularly if he qualifies outside the top 15.
Ryan Preece ($6,800) | Odds to Win: +6500
A budget-friendly option, Preece offers salary relief with upside potential. While his track record at Homestead isn't spectacular, his price point allows for loading up on premium drivers while still maintaining exposure to potential position differential points.