FlurrySports shares DraftKings NASCAR DFS picks and lineup advice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR race this weekend, including Kyle Larson.
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Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway presents a unique DraftKings NASCAR DFS slate before a single lap has even been run. Four cars — including pole-sitter Denny Hamlin — will drop to the rear of the grid due to unapproved adjustments and repairs, fundamentally altering the starting lineup and reshaping the DFS value landscape.
At a two-mile oval where track position matters and raw speed is rewarded, building around the drivers best positioned to lead laps and gain spots is the foundational strategy this week.
Let’s break down of the top DraftKings NASCAR DFS picks and lineup targets for the FireKeepers Casino 400.
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.
FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR DFS Picks
Premium Plays ($10,000 and Above)
Tyler Reddick — $10,700 | Starting Position: 3rd
The Cup Series points leader officially starts third this week with clean air ahead. However, with pole-sitter Denny Hamlin being sent to the rear for unapproved repairs, Tyler Reddick will actually roll off on the front row which could translate into leading laps early. He won this race two years ago and has been one of the most consistent cars in the field all season.
The 2026 version of the No. 45 doesn’t need positions gained to put up a massive DraftKings NASCAR DFS total — he just needs a clean race at a track he’s already won at.
Kyle Larson — $10,500 | Starting Position: 7th
There’s plenty of meat on the bone with regard to Kyle Larson’s resume at this track. He has three career wins at Michigan and ranks second in average driver rating across the four Next Gen era races here. Larson will start seventh on the grid for Sunday’s race. There will be several Toyotas to battle immediately at the front of the field, but the door is open for him to both lead laps and improve on his starting position.
Mid-Board Targets ($8,500 – $9,999)
Ty Gibbs — $9,500 | Starting Position: 4th
Ty Gibbs draws the cleanest lane of the Joe Gibbs Racing quartet this week. Any sensible DraftKings NASCAR DFS lineup must include at least one JGR car based on how the current season has been unfolding. With Hamlin and Christopher Bell both heading to the rear and Chase Briscoe being so difficult to trust, Gibbs becomes the preference. He has quietly finished third at Michigan in each of the last two years with no result worse than 11th in four total Cup Series starts.
Chase Elliott — $9,300 | Starting Position: 6th
Chase Elliott will start sixth after a solid qualifying effort. Hendrick Motorsports as a whole looked the part in Saturday’s time trials which is encouraging. Elliott has been mired in a bit of a rough patch as of late but Michigan is a reset opportunity — he needs a clean run and the starting spot gives him every chance to get one. This hasn’t been his best track in the Next Gen era, but he placed top-10 in nine of ten starts prior to 2022.
Chris Buescher — $8,900 | Starting Position: 14th
It doesn’t bode well for Ford Racing as a whole that Chris Buescher was the top blue oval on the board in qualifying by earning the 14th starting spot. However, for DraftKings NASCAR DFS purposes, the No. 17 sits in an excellent spot. Buescher has been one of the best at Michigan in recent years — he won here in 2023 and finished sixth and second in the two races since. RFK Racing’s organizational strength at this track adds to the appeal.
Carson Hocevar — $8,700 | Starting Position: 2nd
With Hamlin being sent to the rear, Carson Hocevar will be the de facto pole-sitter at the start of the race after placing second in official qualifying. This could translate into leading laps early, something Hocevar has done at this track previously. In two prior Cup Starts here, the Portage, Michigan, native has led an average of 17.5 laps. He also ranks sixth among all drivers in average running position (12.5) at Michigan in the Next Gen era.
Sleepers of the Week ($7,000 – $8,499)
Brad Keselowski — $7,900 | Starting Position: 26th
Another week, another poor qualifying effort for Brad Keselowski. At least for DraftKings NASCAR DFS purposes, his 26th starting spot affords significant positions gained upside. As for track stats, Keselowski has finished fourth, fifth, and tenth in his last three Michigan starts. RFK Racing placed all three of their cars in the top 10 a year ago, a feat that is difficult to overlook especially when breaking down DFS sleepers and betting props.
Erik Jones — $7,300 | Starting Position: 10th
Michigan represents the hometown track for Erik Jones, and he has consistently run well here over the years. In the Next Gen era, he has a pair of top-10s and no finish worse than 16th. Legacy Motor Club clearly has found something in recent weeks as the No. 43 car enters the weekend coming off strong results in four straight oval races. The fact that Jones qualified tenth suggests that the recent form will continue.
Editor’s Note: Erik Jones is a late add to the list of drivers who will start at the rear for Sunday’s race.
Salary Savers ($5,000-$6,999)
Zane Smith — $6,800 | Starting Position: 16th
Zane Smith has had a breakout of sorts ever since Amazon Prime Video took over the Cup Series broadcasting. After back-to-back strong runs at Charlotte and Nashville, he now gets a crack at a track where he has shown genuine speed. Smith finished seventh in both of his two prior Cup Series starts at Michigan. The No. 38 car will start 16th on Sunday, thus offering positions gained upside at a manageable price point.
Riley Herbst — $5,500 | Starting Position: 12th
Michigan is all about raw speed, and no manufacturer has been better in that department than Toyota this season. Look no further than Saturday’s qualifying results for proof. Eight of the nine Toyotas in the field qualified 13th or better, and Riley Herbst was among them. At a track where it can be tough to pass, the door is wide open for a solid top 20 effort. At his dirt-cheap DraftKings NASCAR DFS price point, that’s not a bad outlook to round out a top-heavy lineup.
