FlurrySports shares NASCAR DFS picks and lineup advice for the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race this weekend, including Denny Hamlin.
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The NASCAR All-Star Race makes its debut at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday. There will be no standings points on the line for the drivers, but there is $1 million waiting for the race winner — and plenty of fantasy money up for grabs for those who build the right lineup.
The unique format of the All-Star Race creates one of the most intriguing NASCAR DFS slates of the year. Roster construction this week requires a different approach than a standard race slate, with an understanding of the All-Star Race format being critical.
Let’s break down the top DraftKings NASCAR DFS picks and lineup targets for the All-Star Race. Check out the All-Star Race NASCAR qualifying results and starting lineup!
DraftKings NASCAR DFS Scoring Overview
Before diving into the picks, here’s a quick breakdown of the key DraftKings NASCAR DFS scoring categories for Sunday’s race:
- Finishing Position: The bulk of your score. First place earns 45 points, second earns 42, third earns 41, and so on from there.
- Place Differential: +1 point for every position gained from starting spot to finishing position, -1 for every position lost. Starting deep in the field and finishing strong is a legitimate path to a big score.
- Laps Led: +0.25 points per lap. Drivers who run at the front all day accumulate meaningful bonus points over a full race distance.
- Fastest Lap: +0.45 points. A nice bonus, but not a primary roster construction consideration.
NASCAR All-Star Race DFS Strategy
As far as strategy goes, the most important thing to understand about building a DFS lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Race is the three-segment format. Only 26 of the 36 cars that start the race will compete in the final 200-lap segment where the bulk of fantasy points are ultimately scored. Ten drivers will be eliminated after the first two 75-lap segments, meaning a significant portion of the board carries real risk of not finishing the race at all.
A total of 19 drivers are already locked into the main feature by virtue of winning a race in 2025 or 2026 or being a former Cup Series champion competing full time. At every price point on the board, prioritizing these locked-in drivers is the foundational strategy this week. A driver who gets eliminated after 150 laps simply cannot outscore a locked-in driver who runs all 350 laps — regardless of how strong their Dover track record may be.
There are exceptions worth considering, and we will note them where applicable, but the locked-in list should be your starting point when building any lineup this week.
All-Star Race NASCAR DFS Picks
Premium Plays ($10,000 and Above)
Denny Hamlin — $11,000 | Starting Position: 1st
Of the four drivers priced at $10k or above on DraftKings, Denny Hamlin was the only one who made good on those expectations in qualifying. The winner of the last two Cup Series races at Dover will enjoy a front row starting spot on Sunday. In eight starts at Dover since the fall of 2019, Hamlin has posted an average driver rating north of 100 six times, including four races where that figure exceeded 125.
With DraftKings NASCAR DFS awarding fantasy points for laps led, Hamlin’s track record of dominating at Dover makes him an especially compelling option from the front row.
Kyle Larson — $10,500 | Starting Position: 29th
Had he not been nailed with a pair of penalties on the pit crew challenge portion of qualifying, Kyle Larson had a time fast enough to start on the front row. Instead, he will be mired deep in the field to begin the All-Star Race. However, that’s not the worst thing for DraftKings NASCAR DFS purposes given that place differential counts towards scoring.
Larson displayed enough speed in both practice and qualifying to suggest he will work his way forward throughout the race. He has finished sixth or better in six of his last seven Dover starts, including an outright win in 2019.
Chase Elliott — $10,000 | Starting Position: 31st
The outlook for Chase Elliott is very similar to that of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. Elliott had to back up into his pit stall for the crew to tighten his left front tire as part of the pit crew challenge. That occurrence along with a penalty for an uncontrolled tire cost him a strong result in qualifying, but it opens the door for strong place differential points on Sunday.
As a two-time Dover winner with finishes of sixth or better in six of the last seven races here, Elliott still makes for a rock-solid lineup anchor despite the qualifying setback.
Mid-Board Targets ($7,000 – $9,999)
Tyler Reddick — $9,500 | Starting Position: 14th
Leaving Tyler Reddick out of a DraftKings NASCAR DFS lineup at this price point is difficult to justify given the season he has put together in 2026. Even in races where adversity strikes, Reddick and the No. 45 team have shown a knack for grinding out solid finishes. His 14th starting position offers some place differential upside on top of an already strong floor.
Four finishes of 12th or better in his last five Dover starts, including two top-10s, make Reddick one of the safer mid-board options on the slate.
Ty Gibbs — $8,500 | Starting Position: 9th
Ty Gibbs locked himself into the main feature with his first career Cup Series win at Bristol, and that connection matters here. Dover’s concrete surface and high banking make it essentially a scaled-up version of Bristol, suggesting the No. 54 team should arrive with a strong setup.
Joe Gibbs Racing cars remain among the most preferred on the board, and at $200 cheaper than Chase Briscoe, Gibbs represents real value within the tier. In his three prior Cup starts at Dover, he has scored finishes of 13th, 10th and 5th.
Alex Bowman — $8,300 | Starting Position: 12th
The most notable exception to the strategy discussed earlier in this column is Alex Bowman. He is not guaranteed a spot in the final 200-lap segment and will need to earn his way in on the track. That said, his Dover stats inspires confidence — one outright win and six total top-five finishes in eight starts at the Monster Mile dating back to 2019 is a remarkable hit rate.
His solid qualifying effort only reinforces the belief that the No. 48 car has the speed to reach the main feature this weekend. Even in a worst-case scenario, Bowman is a strong candidate to advance via the fan vote.
Sleepers of the Week ($7,000 – $7,999)
Chris Buescher — $7,800 | Starting Position: 32nd
The risk with using Chris Buescher in DraftKings NASCAR DFS this week is obvious — he is not locked into the main feature and will need to race his way in. That is not a given. However, if he does make it, the place differential opportunity from 32nd is substantial and could produce one of the highest scoring outputs on the entire slate.
Buescher’s Dover track record in the Next Gen era also warrants attention — he has scored three top-10 finishes in four starts since 2022. As long as he makes the main feature, his DFS ceiling is high.
Kyle Busch — $7,300 | Starting Position: 11th
Since Andy Street took over as crew chief, there has been an immediate jolt to the No. 8 team. Kyle Busch’s Texas finish did not reflect how well he ran for the better part of that race, and an eighth-place result at Watkins Glen further supports the notion that this team is trending in the right direction.
Busch’s Dover history with RCR also checks out — an average finish of 10.8 over his last ten starts at the Monster Mile, including a fourth and an 11th in the last two years. As an added confidence booster, Busch dominated the Truck Series race here on Friday. As a former Cup Series champion, he is ensured a spot in the main feature.
Salary Savers ($5,000-$6,999)
Austin Cindric — $6,700 | Starting Position: 10th
At the salary saver level, the locked-in designation carries more weight than anywhere else on the board. Austin Cindric guarantees you a full race’s worth of scoring in the main feature — no sweating out segments one and two hoping he survives. His starting position limits the place differential upside somewhat, but Team Penske equipment at a short track like Dover suggests there is ceiling here beyond just a floor play.
Cindric also clocked the tenth-fastest lap in practice, reinforcing that the No. 2 car has speed this weekend. Recent finishes of 15th and 16th at Dover are not flashy, but they represent a competent DFS points day — which is exactly what you want from a salary saver slot.
Austin Dillon — $6,300 | Starting Position: 17th
Like Cindric, the fact that Austin Dillon is locked into the main feature of the All-Star Race is the primary selling point at this price. Deploying him ensures that you are not burning a roster spot on a driver who might be sent to the garage after 150 laps. The No. 3 car is coming off a strong showing last week and RCR as an organization appears to be turning a corner.
Dillon’s starting position gives him a reasonable path to DraftKings NASCAR DFS place differential points while also limiting the downside of going the wrong direction. He has also shown the ability to sneak into the top-10 at Dover over the years.
