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 Championship Race at Phoenix.
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Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $125K Championship Drive [$25K to 1st] (Cup)
Fantasy NASCAR Driver Rankings: Championship Race at Phoenix
1. Denny Hamlin ($12,000) — Queue the Phil Collins. Hamlin’s been waiting for this moment all his life. Statistical analysis is unnecessary. Does he get it done or choke? Hold on!
2. Kyle Larson ($11,500) — There’s only one championship contender with a Cup Series title. This is a pressure-filled race. The smallest mistake can cost a driver a championship. Larson feels the pressure, but it’s a fraction of what his competitors are facing.
3. William Byron ($11,000) — Byron doesn’t want to be the next Hamlin. He’s got the wins and a lower-series championship. He’s a title favorite every season, but he’s never won the big one. The best way to avoid becoming a Hamlin is to make Hamlin stay a Hamlin.
4. Chase Briscoe ($10,500) — He’s not just happy to be here. Briscoe and the No. 19 JGR Toyota have earned their spot and are just as deserving of a championship as the rest. Can he win his first rodeo? Can he beat three future Hall of Famers?
5. Ryan Blaney ($10,700) — Team Penske did not qualify for the championship race, ending their streak of three straight Cup Series titles. Just because Blaney and company aren’t racing for a championship doesn’t mean they’ll lack speed. Blaney and Penske are always fast at Phoenix.
6. Tyler Reddick ($9,300) — The 23XI Toyotas took a step backward in 2025. Ongoing court disputes haven’t helped, but that shouldn’t have zapped their speed. Reddick likely won’t win this weekend, but a top-five finish would go a long way toward moving this team forward.
7. Christopher Bell ($10,200) — The winner of two of the last three races at Phoenix is an afterthought. It’s strange, but non-championship contenders rarely shine in title races. Also, JGR is likely focusing its resources on its two championship drivers.
8. Chris Buescher ($8,000) — It’s been a quiet season for Buescher. The RFK Fords failed to qualify for the playoffs and have been nonfactors in the closing months of 2025. Buescher could change that at Phoenix—he’s earned three top-five finishes in his last four races in the desert.
9. Joey Logano ($10,000) — It’s rare for a non-playoff driver to win the Cup Series Championship race, but it’s happened. Logano could steal some of the spotlight—he won the 2024 fall Phoenix race.
10. Ross Chastain ($9,000) — The championship race is almost always won by a driver competing for the title. Chastain is the lone exception—he won the 2023 fall Phoenix race.
11. Josh Berry ($8,500) — New Hampshire performance is a good predictor of Phoenix speed. Berry was the runner-up there, and he finished fourth in the spring race at Phoenix. The track fits his style perfectly.
12. Ty Gibbs ($6,800) — It’s not looking great for Ty Gibbs. If not for his last name, he’d be in danger of becoming the next Daniel Suárez. JGR drivers are expected to win and race for championships. Gibbs has been steady to close the season, but steady isn’t enough at this level or in this ride.
13. Alex Bowman ($7,300) — Phoenix has always been a good track for Bowman. Every track should be good for Bowman given he’s driving a Hendrick Chevy. He’s always capable of earning a top-10 finish and sneaking into the optimal DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineup.
14. Todd Gilliland ($5,600) — Front Row Motorsports isn’t a great team. Their Fords are fine but not fast. Gilly is good but not great. The former K&N Series (ARCA) superstar is solid at a few tracks, and last week he continued his trend of strong finishes at Martinsville. Gilliland has earned a top-20 finish in three straight races at Phoenix.15. Michael McDowell ($6,100) — Phoenix is McDowell’s home track. The Arizona-native narrative may not be a significant factor on Sunday, but his past performances are. McDowell and his new team are coming into their own. He earned a top-10 finish at New Hampshire and has been a consistent top-20 driver in the closing months of the 2025 season.
