RADIO
Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
Talladega Superspeedway ended with a first-time winner last week in the NASCAR Cup Series as Carson Hocevar pulled away from the field to win the race on the final lap. Now the Cup Series travels to the Lone Star State for Texas Motor Speedway, as over a quarter of the 2026 season is now completed. Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Wurth 400 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 5/3/2026 at 3:30 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
Texas is a 1.5-mile Intermediate track with races held not just in NASCAR, but also in IndyCar, Sports Cars, and more since 1997. This is a track where each pair of corners has different degrees of banking, with turns three and four being higher banked compared to turns one and two. Texas is a track known for being one of the more challenging oval tracks to drive, as drivers sometimes struggle to maintain control over track conditions and spin to a crash. With its surface starting to show signs of being worn out, as the track was last paved nine years ago, it only adds to the challenge for drivers.
Regarding the DFS strategy for this track, it is best for fantasy players to take a balanced approach for picking drivers who can dominate and lead laps, and also gain Place Differential where possible. Texas is a track that sometimes does have dominators who lead for whole portions of the race, but also sometimes has races that are full of cautions and lead changes, emphasizing how positions can easily be gained or lost on track or through pit road. Multiple lineups with different driver combinations are encouraged in order to maximize the potential for cashing out in DFS this week, especially as track conditions and crashes can make the race results go in unexpected directions.
DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
Once you've read this article, be sure also to check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles to help you set your optimal DFS lineups. You should also check out our NASCAR DFS lineup tools for the ultimate combination of DFS resources to help you win big, including our Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheet, Research Station, and more.
Our NASCAR Premium Package also comes with exclusive access to Jordan McAbee's DFS/betting picks, projections, and algorithm-predicted finishing order. Jordan's betting track record: 100+ units profit since 2023, 25% yearly average profit since 2018.
Disclaimer: All the drivers presented as picks for this week's race are meant to be some of my top DFS recommendations of the week. They are not originally intended to fit all into one lineup.
Tyler Reddick
Starts 8th - DK: $10.7K, FD: $13K
One of the best drivers at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season has been Tyler Reddick. The No. 45 Toyota driver won the last race of the same track type two weeks ago at Kansas and has been the most consistent driver of the season, placing in the top 15 in every race with seven top-10 finishes.
TYLER REDDICK GETS BACK BY KYLE LARSON TO WIN AT KANSAS! What a finish. That's FIVE wins in 2026 for Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing. pic.twitter.com/iirLOSys2j
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 19, 2026
In seven Cup races at Texas, Reddick has one win, four top-10 finishes, and a series-leading average finish of 11.0, which ranks best among active drivers. Reddick also found his way to the front and led laps in each of the last four Texas Cup Series races. With two top-5s in the last four Cup races, Reddick has shown himself to be a top contender and generally runs well at this track with the Next-Gen car.
In practice for this week's race, Reddick ranked 11th in single-lap times, second in overall lap times, and first in 20 and 25 consecutive lap averages. Reddick has a bit of upside from his starting position, has a fast car through pre-race events, especially on a longer green flag run, and is one of the top drivers of the season. Expect Reddick to be a contender for the win this week.
Ryan Blaney
Starts 31st - DK: $10.2K, FD: $11.5K
The Team Penske cars have notably been off at times in terms of pure speed and setup at the 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season. However, Ryan Blaney has usually been the best driver on the team throughout the whole year and has been able to conquer the team's speed problems all year. This is especially important to note since Texas is a solid track for Blaney historically.
"I'm the biggest idiot alive." 🤦@Blaney still has scars from the time he dropped his window net too early while leading at @TXMotorSpeedway ⚠️
"I don't think I've ever had a sheer panic moment like that."😱
"I won the All-Star race TWICE... got paid once." 😑 pic.twitter.com/BIHD7Oi6nY
— PRN (@PRNlive) April 30, 2026
In 17 Cup starts at Texas, Blaney has nine top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.5. The No. 12 Ford driver has also won the All-Star race at this track before and has two top-5 finishes in the Next-Gen car, including a finish of third in last year's Cup event. Blaney also led in three of the last four Cup races at Texas.
In practice, Blaney ranked 20th in overall lap averages while displaying top-10 speeds in the 15 to 30 consecutive lap average categories, meaning his car is fast on longer green flag runs. Blaney has plenty of upside due to his starting position being towards the back, making him a top DFS option for this week's race.
William Byron
Starts 15th - DK: $9.7K, FD: $12K
This will be a week where Hendrick Motorsports is expected to compete for some of the top positions. Kyle Larson is among the top favorites to win this week as arguably the best of the team on the Intermediate ovals in terms of pure speed, while Chase Elliott has won before at Texas in the Next-Gen car. It is William Byron, though, who deserves some attention this week as he may be overlooked compared to his other two teammates.
REPOST TO CONGRATULATE WILLIAM BYRON ON HIS WIN IN TEXAS! https://t.co/ml25zqOrH8 pic.twitter.com/zfJcNr1Xrt
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 24, 2023
In 11 races at Texas, Byron has one win, six top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 11.4, which ranks second-best of active drivers only behind Reddick. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver finished in the top 10 and also led laps in three of the last four Cup events at Texas. Byron's only Texas win also came in the Next-Gen car back in 2023.
In practice, Byron ranked fifth in overall lap averages and had the fastest five and 10 consecutive lap averages in practice. As the lowest-qualifying Hendrick driver, Byron has decent upside, especially as he does have a car capable of placing inside the top 10 while scoring some PD for DFS lineups this week.
Did you know RotoBaller has a Premium DFS NASCAR subscription? Like what you read today? You can show your support for Sean -- save 30% with code NEW when purchasing any NASCAR Premium Pass. Gain exclusive access to all of our expert Premium NASCAR articles, DFS tools, and Lineup Optimizer! Be sure to check out screenshots of NASCAR DFS winners and testimonials from RotoBaller readers and writers who have been winning using RotoBaller's Premium tools.
Great day today thanks for some extra help from @RotoBaller @FanRacingOnline @JoeNicely pic.twitter.com/mAIMTaEYWc
— brent buckner (@tenndolly2) August 7, 2023
Carson Hocevar
Starts 1st - DK: $8.5K, FD: $10.5K
Fresh off his first career Cup Series win, Hocevar is finding himself with plenty of positive momentum heading to a strong track he's run at before in the Truck and Cup Series, Texas. The No. 77 Chevrolet driver has two Truck Series victories at the site, including earlier during the race weekend.
It's tradition now. 🌶️🏁
Carson Hocevar celebrates the NASCAR Truck Series win at Texas the same way he burnt it down after his Cup victory at Talladega. pic.twitter.com/BeMGRPFYLm
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 2, 2026
In the Cup Series, Hocevar has a best finish of 10th in three starts at Texas with an average finish of 16.7. Hocevar also led 22 laps during last year's Cup race at Texas. Through 10 races during the 2026 season, Hocevar has four top-10 finishes and has led in six different Cup events.
In practice for this week's race, Hocevar ranked eighth in overall lap averages and sixth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Hocevar is starting first this week, and although that gives him no upside for PD, he is in a prime position to lead laps early on and compete for the win this week.
Ross Chastain
Starts 16th - DK: $7.8K, FD: $6.8K
Trackhouse Racing is a team that has struggled with finding speed throughout most of the races this season. However, Texas is one of the few places where the team has shown some solid results on a consistent level. Ross Chastain, who has only two top-10 finishes from drafting tracks this year, is also a driver who has been close to winning at Texas in the past as well.
In nine Cup starts at Texas, Chastain has two top-5 finishes, both of which occurred within the last three races. He finished as the runner-up for the win in both 2023 and 2025 and was also in position to win in 2024 after leading 33 laps and crashing at the very end of the event.
In practice for this week's race, Chastain ranked 27th in overall lap averages, but displayed top-10 speeds in the 10, 20, and 25 consecutive lap average categories. The No. 1 Chevrolet driver has decent upside with a car that can contend for a top-10 finish and is worth consideration for all DFS formats. Especially on FanDuel, where his salary makes him easy to add to rosters.
Austin Dillon
Starts 38th - DK: $6.5K, FD: $5.5K
Richard Childress Racing has been one of the top stories to follow this week, especially after Kyle Busch's No. 8 team was announced to get a new crew chief, effective immediately, with Andy Street. However, Austin Dillon, the driver of the No. 3 team, has quietly been running decently and better over the course of the season.
Kyle Busch mentioned how Austin Dillon's team is running better. Here is Dillon on what he and crew chief Richard Boswell are doing well and how he hopes a Busch turnaround at RCR is part of the Busch racing story. @NASCARONFOX https://t.co/TyZ2sq5zZm pic.twitter.com/MhjXKQSKyV
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 25, 2026
In 21 Cup races at Texas, Dillon has 13 top-20 finishes and an average finish of 18.4. Dillon also has a win and four top-10 finishes, including the last two Texas races. After 10 races this year, Dillon sits 24th in the standings with six top-20 finishes, including each of the last three Cup events.
In practice, Dillon ranked 37th and did not run more than a few laps as he had engine issues early on and elected to go to the garage. Dillon did not set a qualifying lap and will start at the back of the pack as a result. Despite the engine trouble, RCR has elected to change engines for race day, and nobody will have more PD upside with equipment that is capable of placing in the top 20 than Dillon. Fantasy players should highly consider rostering Dillon in all formats this week.
More NASCAR Analysis and Picks
The Keys to Weekly NASCAR Success
NASCAR is back, and it's time for you to win more with RotoBaller! Our NASCAR Premium Package for DFS and betting features several heavy hitters and proven winners.
Jordan McAbee anchors the team with his exclusive NASCAR DFS and betting picks, DFS projections and algorithm-predicted finishing order! Jordan has a 100+ unit betting profit since 2023, and a 25% average annual profit since 2018. He won the FSWA Racing Writer Of The Year award in 2023, and was nominated for DFS Writer Of The Year in 2024.
