DKNetwork Logo DKNetwork Logo
NASCAR Fantasy Rankings: Top DraftKings Picks for the 2026 Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas

NASCAR Fantasy Rankings: Top DraftKings Picks for the 2026 Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas

DraftKings Fantasy Advice DFS NASCAR

Published:

By: Pearce Dietrich

Las Vegas is the first mile-and-a-half race of 2026, and the Toyotas look like they brought the grip to handle a hot, bumpy surface that punishes cars on long runs. This is a week where the top of the board earns its price tag.

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

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

Top DraftKings Picks for the 2026 Cup Series Pennzoil 400

  1. Kyle Larson ($11,000) — Two wins, five top-fives and 595 laps led in eight Gen 7 starts here, more than anyone else has at any single track. Kevin Harvick believes this is a Gibbs-Hendrick weekend, and Larson is the Hendrick horse with dominator upside.
  2. Christopher Bell ($10,700) — Fastest car in Group 2 practice, pole position, and four top-fives with 248 laps led at Las Vegas in the Gen 7 car. He had Phoenix stolen from him on a late caution, and an angry Bell with the fastest car is dangerous.
  3. Denny Hamlin ($10,500) — Best consecutive 5-lap and 10-lap averages of anyone in Group 2, and Harvick noted he was a couple tenths faster on his final laps than even Gibbs. Starting second gives him the front-row track position he’s historically lacked here.
  4. Tyler Reddick ($9,500) — Three consecutive wins and a 10.0 average finish at Las Vegas across eight starts, including a 2023 win where he led 176 laps. His radio said the car felt “confusing” in 1-2, but that’s everyone’s complaint here with the tunnel bumps.
  5. Ross Chastain ($8,500) — A 7.6 average finish and five top-fives in eight starts makes him the most consistent Las Vegas driver in the field. Starting 17th at $8,500 gives you built-in place differential with one of the safest floors available.
  6. Chris Buescher ($8,300) — Multiple top-five finishes at Las Vegas and the best clean average of the entire practice field in Group 1, though his session ended early at 16 laps. His 11.1 intermediate average finish is quietly fourth-best in the Cup Series, and starting 10th at $8,300 is strong value.
  7. Bubba Wallace ($8,200) — Las Vegas history is ugly at 19.6 with zero top-10s, but starting fourth with competitive long-run practice speed gives you a floor. The broadcast made clear his finishes this season haven’t reflected actual performance.
  8. Kyle Busch ($7,800) — Starting 24th means double-digit place differential if he finishes anywhere near where his talent says he should. Harvick said Busch is working harder behind the wheel than ever, and a top-15 returns solid value.
  9. John Hunter Nemechek ($6,000) — JHN told Jamie Little afterward that the team put a lot of offseason work in that’s finally showing up. His Las Vegas history is rough overall, but the practice data this weekend screams improvement. Starting 26th at $6,000 with the best long-run speed in his group puts Nemechek on the board.
  10. Ty Gibbs ($7,400) — Starts third with the fastest single lap of Group 2, and his JGR teammates are at the top of every long-run chart this weekend. Las Vegas history is terrible at 24.1, but car speed and starting position override the past.
  11. Daniel Suarez ($6,600 | Start: 13th) — Spire was fast off the truck again, and Suarez’s last two Las Vegas results are a second and a third. Cheap enough to roster alongside the expensive names with a realistic top-10 ceiling.
  12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($5,700) — Fastest single lap of the entire session on his very first lap, though his long-run pace fell off and his 21.1 Las Vegas average across eight starts includes zero top-10s. At $5,700 starting 23rd, you’re buying qualifying speed and place differential at near-minimum salary.
  13. Noah Gragson ($5,500) — Starting 34th with sixth-fastest speed in Group 1 practice, which means his car showed legitimate pace despite being priced at near-minimum salary. If he finishes 20th from 34th, the place differential alone makes him worth the roster spot, and at $5,500 he frees up salary for the top of your lineup.
  14. Josh Berry ($7,700) — The 2025 Las Vegas winner starts 32nd. The place differential math works even with a 15th-place finish. If the car is anywhere close to what it was last March, a top-10 from this deep is a GPP winner.
  15. Ty Gibbs ($7,400) — The fastest single lap of Group 2 practice, and his JGR teammates Bell and Hamlin are at the top of every long-run chart this weekend. His Las Vegas history is terrible at 24.1 with only one top-five in seven starts, but the entire Toyota camp is running well enough to override the past from a front-row starting spot.

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.