DKNetwork Logo DKNetwork Logo
NASCAR Fantasy Rankings: DFS Picks on DraftKings for NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville

NASCAR Fantasy Rankings: DFS Picks on DraftKings for NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville

DraftKings Fantasy Advice NASCAR

Updated:

By: Pearce Dietrich

The NASCAR season is revving up and DraftKings is shifting into high gear with an assortment of fantasy NASCAR contests. Dive into the best fantasy racing picks for the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville.

For NASCAR insight and quick DFS help, follow Pearce Dietrich (@Race4thePrize) on Twitter.

Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $350K Engineer [$100K to 1st] (Cup)

  1. Kyle Larson ($11,000) — When you’re averaging 88 laps led per Nashville race (264 in three starts) and 64.3 DK points per start, you’re not just a play—you’re the play. Add a 5.7 average finish and the best weighted average running position (wARP) in the series, and it’s clear there’s no safer anchor for cash or GPPs. If you fade him, you’re banking on a wreck or a mechanical failure.
  2. William Byron ($10,800) — A 6.8 average finish and 53.2 DK points per race at Nashville means you’re getting both ceiling and floor from the most consistent Hendrick car. Byron should have extra motivation after a heartbreaking loss at his hometown track last week.
  3. Denny Hamlin ($10,700) — Three concrete wins since 2023, a pole at Nashville last year, and 36.4 laps led per start—this is the concrete king. It’s a stretch, but Martinsville has concrete corners, and Hamlin scored 102 Hog Points (fast-lap and lap-led points) and the win at The Paperclip.
  4. Christopher Bell ($10,500) — Is this sneaky? Bell started hot but has cooled off. No one can win every race. His cool-off would be a heater for others. Bell is right there in the top 10, one break away from breaking away.
  5. Ryan Blaney ($10,200) — The winless wonder is second in weighted average running position (wARP) and first in positive positions gained this season. He can’t seem to win, but that doesn’t matter for fantasy NASCAR. High-priced drivers need to lead laps more than they need to win. Blaney has the speed to lead.
  6. Ross Chastain ($10,000) — Speed is overrated. Trackhouse Racing isn’t building fast cars, but Chastain is built differently. Chastain won the Coca-Cola 600 with a top-10 car that didn’t have top-5 speed or race-winning speed in terms of cPOMS and Speed Score.
  7. Tyler Reddick ($9,800) — The No. 45 23XI Toyota Camry has struggled in the second half of intermediate-track races this season. Nashville doesn’t change much. His typical off-the-hauler speed should hold throughout the race.
  8. Chase Elliott ($9,500) — Concrete tracks race differently from asphalt tracks. Concrete surfaces can be bumpier and less forgiving, demanding precise driving and suspension setups to maintain control. Elliott has the setup and the skill.
  9. Joey Logano ($9,200) — His 2024 Nashville win should be taken with a grain of salt. The race ended with five restarts. Before the yellow-flag frenzy on lap 299, Logano was in 14th place.
  10. Todd Gilliland ($5,700) — Advanced stats are great, but this is DFS. Fantasy points are the only thing that matters. Who gets the points at the lowest price? Gilliland has a top-20 DFS score in five of the last seven races. Four of those top-20s were in the last four intermediate-track races.
  11. Ty Dillon ($5,000) — How long will Dillon be disrespected by DraftKings? Kaulig has competitive cars, and Dillon is putting in the work. He has a top-20 finish in four of the last five intermediate-track races.
  12. AJ Allmendinger ($6,600) — It’s a new era. Intermediate tracks were once dominated by elite NASCAR Cup Series teams. Those days are gone. The Gen-7 car and SMT data sharing have leveled the playing field. The Dinger and his underdog Kaulig crew are the best point-per-dollar play for Nashville based on advanced stats (e.g., ΔPOMS, wARP).
  13. Ryan Preece ($7,300) — Like Allmendinger, Preece is a great point-per-dollar pick at intermediate tracks. His wARP is seventh-best in the series, and his ΔPOMS is fifth. Preece improves consistently, which is why his Avg PFAE (finishing above expectations) is third.
  14. Josh Berry ($7,700) — As NASCAR has changed, so has DraftKings DFS NASCAR. Supposed middle-tier drivers now have race-winning speed. They may not lead many laps or be flashy, but they run in the top 10—and that’s all you need at their price point. Berry is a top-10 intermediate-track driver based on advanced stats.
  15. Alex Bowman ($7,800) — The 7K play will pay. This is where it’s at. Bowman is another driver in the $7,000 range who performs like a top-10 driver at 1.5-mile ovals. Get a top-10 finish and secure a DFS win. As a bonus, Bowman has a strong history at concrete tracks throughout his career.

Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $350K Engineer [$100K to 1st] (Cup)

Pearce Dietrich

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.