FlurrySports shares DraftKings NASCAR DFS picks and lineup advice for the Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR race this weekend, including Ross Chastain.
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The Cracker Barrel 400 presents one of the most unique DraftKings NASCAR DFS slates of the season as far as concrete ovals are concerned. Nashville Superspeedway has produced some of the most track-position-dependent racing on the Cup Series schedule, with passing at a premium and starting spot carrying an outsized influence on finishing result.
Let’s break down the top DraftKings NASCAR DFS picks and lineup targets for the Cracker Barrel 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.
Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR DFS Strategy
Building a winning DraftKings NASCAR DFS lineup at Nashville Superspeedway comes down to three core principles this week. First, prioritize Toyotas at every opportunity. Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have dominated the 2026 season and the concrete surface gives little reason to believe that trend reverses on Sunday night. Stacking multiple Toyota drivers across salary tiers is the foundational approach.
Second, balance your starting positions. Track position matters enormously at Nashville given how difficult passing has proven to be historically. Anchoring your lineup with drivers starting near the front locks in a floor, while sprinkling in a mid-pack starter or two at a discounted salary creates the upside needed to win a NASCAR DFS contest.
Finally, lean on Nashville and concrete surface track history where the data exists. Several drivers on this week’s board have demonstrated a clear affinity for this specific racing surface — whether at Nashville itself, Dover, or Bristol. In a week where the track type is genuinely unique, that historical context carries more weight than it might at a standard intermediate oval.
Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR DFS Picks
Premium Plays ($10,000 and Above)
Denny Hamlin — $11,000 | Starting Position: 1st
Denny Hamlin is the betting favorite to win at Nashville for good reason. He owns the best average driver rating in the Next Gen era at this track, the most laps led, the best average running position and the best average finish. He won the All-Star Race at Dover two weeks ago on a comparable concrete surface and starts from the pole on Sunday night. At $11,000 he is the obvious anchor for any DraftKings NASCAR DFS lineup this week.
Tyler Reddick — $11,000 | Starting Position: 2nd
Anyone opting to take a contrarian approach and avoid Hamlin at the top of their DFS lineup is best served keeping their premium play within the Toyota stable. Tyler Reddick fits that criteria cleanly. He starts from the front row at a track where advancing through the field is genuinely difficult. As for track stats, Reddick has finished third and ninth in the last two Nashville races, and ranks fourth in average driver rating over the last three editions of this race.
Christopher Bell — $10,000 | Starting Position: 4th
Christopher Bell has finished inside the top 10 in four of his five Nashville starts and brings one of the most consistent track records of any driver in the field not named Hamlin. Across the four Next Gen races here, he ranks fourth in average running position, fourth in average laps led, and third in average driver rating. Starting fourth on the grid in a JGR Toyota at a track where passing is difficult, Bell is a natural third premium option for NASCAR DFS lineups this week.
Mid-Board Targets ($8,000 – $9,999)
Ty Gibbs — $9,000 | Starting Position: 6th
Ty Gibbs is the natural mid-board extension of the Toyota stack. He enters Nashville with six top-five finishes and nine top-10s in 13 races in 2026. He earned his first career Cup win at Bristol on a concrete surface earlier this season, and starts sixth on the grid. The DraftKings NASCAR DFS market continues to undervalue the 2026 version of Gibbs relative to his recent results.
Carson Hocevar — $8,700 | Starting Position: 17th
Carson Hocevar profiles well as a driver on fast concrete ovals and his Nashville history backs that up. Despite starting 26th on the grid last year, he crossed the line second — one of the more impressive drives of the race. If the No. 77 team can avoid some of the pit road miscues that have plagued them in recent weeks, Hocevar should have the raw speed needed to return strong NASCAR DFS value from his mid-pack starting position.
Ross Chastain — $8,100 | Starting Position: 35th
2026 has been a major disappointment for Ross Chastain so far, and starting 35th makes him a risky DraftKings NASCAR DFS play on the surface. However, he posted the second-fastest single lap speed and was fastest in the 15-, 20-, and 25-lap consecutive run averages in Saturday’s practice session. Chastain also won this race outright in 2023 and ranks second in both average running position and average driver rating across the four Next Gen era races here. At $8,100 starting near the back, the upside is real if the speed translates from practice.
Sleepers of the Week ($7,000 – $7,999)
Alex Bowman — $7,400 | Starting Position: 19th
Alex Bowman’s Nashville track record doesn’t jump off the page, but the surface type is where the argument starts. Dover has long been one of his stronger statistical tracks and shares more DNA with Nashville than most venues on the schedule. The No. 48 team has also strung together some solid runs in recent weeks, adding momentum to the case. With Hendrick Motorsports equipment and the 19th starting spot, Bowman should be able to gain positions on track.
Corey Heim — $7,000 | Starting Position: 24th
The Corey Heim era at the Cup level is officially incoming — his full-time move to 23XI Racing for 2027 was announced this week, adding context to what has already been an impressive part-time audition in the No. 67. This DraftKings NASCAR DFS tier is lean on slam-dunk cases this week, but an additional Toyota at the floor price point is worth the consideration. Heim posted top-5 finishes in three consecutive Truck Series starts at Nashville from 2023-25.
Salary Savers ($5,000-$6,999)
Erik Jones — $6,700 | Starting Position: 13th
While he does carry some risk of losing spots from his 13th starting position, recent form makes Erik Jones worth the gamble at this price. The No. 43 car has been on a quiet run — 12th at Texas, third on the concrete at Dover during the All-Star Race, and 13th last weekend at Charlotte. His Nashville history is sneaky strong as well, with two top-10 finishes and three results of 11th or better across four Next Gen era starts at the track.
AJ Allmendinger — $6,000 | Starting Position: 16th
AJ Allmendinger carries similar position-loss risk from 16th on the grid, but the DraftKings NASCAR DFS price point makes him a viable salary saving option. He has managed a top-20 finish in each of his four Cup Series starts at Nashville, including a 10th in 2023 and 11th in 2024 that hint at genuine upside on this surface. The No. 16 Kaulig Racing machine also posted the sixth-fastest lap speed in Saturday’s practice session, suggesting there is legitimate raw speed in the car.
