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Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
After last week's Cup Series race at Bristol, three races have been completed in the 2026 Chase. Joey Logano earned his third victory of the season after late-race drama and contact between Carson Hocevar and Ty Gibbs that allowed Logano to sneak by for the win. The fourth race of The Chase is the Hollywood Casino 400, taking place at Kansas Speedway, which will be the first of three consecutive Cup races on 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks.
As one of the 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals with the current car, there will be some passing opportunities for drivers to make at Kansas. This track is also the kind where one can take advantage of clean air at the front and lead some laps for a while as well. Overall, Kansas is the kind of track where, for DFS, a well-balanced lineup is key for success. This means that there should be one to two dominators, some driver picks who may obtain Place Differential points, and others who can finish with a quality finish based on their salary expectations. Keep in mind that practice and qualifying were rained out once again this week, so the starting lineup is set by NASCAR's starting lineup metric. On top of notable drivers starting further back, there is no data from practice to know which drivers may have a car that stands out for this race. Instead, all projections and picks will be based on past history and track data from other similar tracks for Kansas.
Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Hollywood Casino 400 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 9/19/2026 at 7:30 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
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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.
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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.
Denny Hamlin
Starts 6th - DK: $10.5K, FD: $13.5K
Toyota is a manufacturer that has been great at Kansas overall. They have five wins at Kansas since the beginning of the 2022 season, which is the most of all manufacturers. Denny Hamlin has been one of the best drivers at 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals this season and could appear in race-winning condition as well this week
The No. 11 Toyota driver has four wins, 18 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.3 in 36 Cup races at Kansas. Seven of the last nine Kansas races have ended with Hamlin finishing inside the top five, showcasing that he is highly competitive at this track. Hamlin also finished in the top five at every race at 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals this season, including a win at Las Vegas.
What does Denny Hamlin consider a big points day for Kansas?
“50+ points”
The JGR driver discusses the feeling around his team after 3 races as he is currently P2 in points, -1 behind Kyle Larson#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/C5sIYHtpeo
— Braking Bob (@BrakingBob) September 26, 2026
With Hamlin starting close to the front in this week's race, it would not be a surprise to see him make a run to the front early. There is a high chance that he can be one of the top dominators and be able to compete for the win this week at Kansas, making him a solid anchor driver for Kansas.
Christopher Bell
Starts 3rd - DK: $10.2K, FD: $13K
One driver who consistently finds their way to the front of races at Kansas is Christopher Bell. The No. 20 driver for Joe Gibbs Racing has also run well at most 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals this season, with top-5 runs at Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Chicagoland. He also led laps in every single race at the track type this season.
In 13 Cup races at Kansas, Bell has nine top-10 finishes and an average finish of 12.2. Bell placed in the top 10 in eight of the last 10 Kansas Cup races, and he has been able to lead laps in each of the last nine. The last 12 races this season have been great for Bell overall too, with nine top-10 finishes in that span, including his only Cup win for the year so far at Darlington.
Christopher Bell is a Southern 500 winner! pic.twitter.com/Yb6Uc79gnh
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 7, 2026
Bell's starting position for this week's race is close to the very front of the pack. Considering his track history and how strong JGR has been at the 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals, Bell is a driver who should not be overlooked as a potential winner in this week's race.
Chase Briscoe
Starts 23rd - DK: $9.6K, FD: $11.5K
Continuing with more Joe Gibbs Racing representation, Chase Briscoe is another one of the team's drivers who could be a strong DFS performer. While his stats as a driver are not as great as Hamlin's or Bell's, Briscoe's Kansas stats make him no slouch either as a DFS option, especially in recent races at the site.
In 11 Cup races at Kansas, Briscoe has three top-5 finishes with an overall average finish of 16.6. Each of Briscoe's three top-5 finishes came in the last three Cup races at the site, which coincide with when he began driving for JGR in 2025. Briscoe also has top-10 finishes at Las Vegas, Kansas, and Chicagoland this season, the latter of which he also won.
Chase Briscoe is back on top! pic.twitter.com/2B76a5k2tD
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 6, 2026
Unlike his JGR teammates, Briscoe has a starting position that is deeper in the field outside of the top 20. This means that he carries plenty of upside while driving in top-notch equipment. Fantasy players should not overlook Briscoe for this week's race, especially with some of the highest upside of the top-priced drivers available.
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William Byron
Starts 8th - DK: $8.5K, FD: $9.5K
William Byron might be one of the more overlooked options of this week's slate who could pay off for this week's slate. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver from Hendrick Motorsports has been consistent at 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals this year, finishing in the top 10 in all of them. Chicagoland, the most recent race at this track type, also had one of Byron's best performances of the year with two stage wins and 94 laps led.
In 17 Cup races at Kansas, Byron has 10 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13.8. Byron placed in the top 10 in five of the last eight Cup events at Kansas, including the last two. He also scored positive PD in four of the last five Kansas Cup races.
For a driver who consistently races around the top 10 this season at the 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals, Byron's salaries on both sites this week make him one to consider. Although he does not carry as much upside as some, he has the equipment and track history to prove that he can stay in the top 10 and pay off. Tournament players may want to take advantage of "Willy B" in this week's race.
Ryan Preece
Starts 9th - DK: $7K, FD: $7.2K
Kansas is a solid track for RFK Racing overall, and the team nearly won a few years ago with Chris Buescher in the closest finish in NASCAR history since electronic scoring took effect. Any of the team's three drivers has the capacity to perform well this week, but Ryan Preece is who will be spotlighted today.
“I don’t know what he thinks or doesn’t think. I just know how I choose to think.”@RyanPreece_ gives his perspective on if @CarsonHocevar should have lifted last weekend.
He also tells the focus of getting stage point as they have had a great Chase to this point!#NASCAR |… pic.twitter.com/bPkeSKS0HS
— Tim Moore (@IveBeenTimMoore) September 26, 2026
Preece only has one top-10 finish so far in his entire Cup career at Kansas, where he also has an average finish of 22.0. However, most of his starts at this track were with other teams outside of RFK. With RFK, which he has three starts with, Preece's average finish is 14.6, with two finishes of 11th or better, including his only top-10 finish at the site from May 2025.
This season, Preece has three top-15 finishes at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks, having obtained them at Las Vegas, Kansas, and Texas. While he has a high starting position for this week's race, Preece can maintain a top-15 finish based on equipment and recent track history. He is best used in tournaments due to his lower upside, but he has been running well enough to be a sneaky option this week.
Riley Herbst
Starts 34th - DK: $6.5K, FD: $5.8K
When considering value options for this week's race, Riley Herbst stands out for a number of reasons. The No. 35 Toyota driver has some of the best equipment of all value drivers since he drives for 23XI Racing, which won at Kansas multiple times, including earlier in the year with Tyler Reddick. Herbst has also been a capable performer at 1.5-mile Intermediate ovals when compared to most in this salary range.
In four starts at Kansas, Herbst's best finish is 14th, but he did earn that earlier this year from the first Kansas Cup race. He also obtained positive PD three times in his Cup career at Kansas, including the last two races at the site. This season, Herbst has greatly improved on Intermediate ovals, with finishes of 21st or better in all races at the track type except for Las Vegas this season.
Herbst carries plenty of upside for this week's Cup race and is one of the best value options available. Fantasy players should use him in all formats to provide cap flexibility and score a favorable result.
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