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Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is getting close to the end. Four races remain in The Chase before the champion for the season is crowned, after Chase Briscoe scored his third victory of the year last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This week, the Cup Series heads back to the Arizona desert with Phoenix Raceway, a 1-mile dogleg oval track known for its close to "flat" banking in the turns.
Phoenix is the type of track where passing will be a challenge. Despite there being multiple racing lines where drivers can make passes, drivers in this car have often struggled to make moves without setting up their overtakes by taking a couple of laps. Drivers who are also at the front of the pack can also take advantage of cleaner air, allowing their car to run at its best and lead plenty of laps in the process. Overall, for DFS at Phoenix, dominators are crucial to consider, especially with an above-average lap count. This means one to two dominators should be targeted, as well as driver picks who may earn Place Differential points, and others who can deliver a quality finish based on their salary expectations. Driver picks and projections for this week are based on data from pre-race events as well as past track results at Phoenix, other similar tracks, and overall performance based on the 2026 season up to this point.
Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Freeway Insurance 500 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 10/18/2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
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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.
Ryan Blaney
Starts 1st - DK: $11.5K, FD: $14K
Kevin Harvick used to be known as "The Desert King" due to his high amount of success at Phoenix and how he'd always be competitive at the site. Ryan Blaney may arguably be the best driver since his retirement based on overall results and consistency. The No. 12 Ford driver from Team Penske has been one of the top drivers to beat every time the Cup Series visits Phoenix.
Ryan Blaney doesn't have the mindset of being able to wait for Kyle Larson and the 5 team to slip: https://t.co/w8jPZeMt2C
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) October 17, 2026
In 21 Cup starts at Phoenix, Blaney has two wins, which were in the last two Cup races at the site, 15 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 10.4, which ranks second-best of all active drivers. Nine of the last 10 Phoenix races resulted in a top-5 finish for Blaney, with his one finish outside of the top five being due to an engine failure in March 2025.
In practice for this week's Cup race, Blaney displayed top-3 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories in practice. Expect Blaney to be one of the top dominators of this week's Cup race and compete for the win. He is one of the top favorites to consider for DFS lineups in all formats this week.
Christopher Bell
Starts 5th - DK: $11.2K, FD: $13.5K
Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson Preview NASCAR Cup Series Weekend at Phoenix Raceway
#NASCAR https://t.co/lcPdPSEHe9
— Speedway Digest (@speedwaydigest) October 17, 2026
Since the introduction of the Next-Gen car in 2022, the teams that have won the most at Phoenix are Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing. They're the only two teams with multiple wins at the site in this timeframe, and in the case of JGR, they all come from one driver, Christopher Bell.
In 13 total Cup starts at Phoenix, Bell has two wins, eight top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.1. Four of the last five Cup races at Phoenix ended with Bell finishing in the top five, including his two victories. The No. 20 Toyota also led over 100 laps in three of the last four Phoenix Cup races.
Bell ranked first in 10-30 consecutive lap averages in practice. With one of the fastest cars in the field in pre-race events, it would not be a shock for Bell to compete for the win and lead laps in the process, especially midway through the race if there are a lot of longer green flag runs. Bell also makes for a nice pivot option for those who want a DFS alternative to the Penske drivers.
Joey Logano
Starts 2nd - DK: $10.2K, FD: $12.5K
Speaking of Team Penske drivers, Joey Logano will be one to watch for this week. Shorter and flatter oval tracks like Phoenix play right into the strengths of both Penske and Logano this season. After all, Logano led 96 laps and was one of the top contenders for the win at Gateway, which is one of the closest comparable tracks to Phoenix.
Retweet to congratulate Joey Logano on his win at Phoenix Raceway!
@CocaColaRacing https://t.co/HPbsSKOlER
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 8, 2020
In 35 Cup races competed at Phoenix, Logano has four wins, 18 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 13.3, and 1,169 laps led, which is the most of all drivers in the field this week. Notably, Logano has been better in the Fall race at Phoenix compared to the spring, with three finishes of fourth or better, including two wins in the last four Fall races at the site.
In practice for this week's race, Logano ranked fifth in 10 consecutive lap averages and 10th in 30 consecutive lap averages. Despite having slower practice speeds than his teammate Blaney, Logano is a driver who should not be underestimated or overlooked. This is especially the case in an even-numbered year where Logano often puts together clutch moments to compete for the title.
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Bubba Wallace
Starts 23rd - DK: $8.2K, FD: $8.5K
Bubba Wallace didn't lose his sense of humor in that hard crash last week at Charlotte. Here is our back-and-forth on how he is feeling, him being slow to get out of the car and how he looked when he got out of it (and where he sits in my power rankings) @NASCARONFOX https://t.co/uGin8lYPAZ
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 17, 2026
Toyota drivers outside of Joe Gibbs Racing tend to either run really well or deal with cases of underwhelming performances. That is the case for Bubba Wallace with his recent history at Phoenix, where he has run both well at times, but also dealt with some bad luck with accidents and parts failures.
In 17 Cup starts at Phoenix, Wallace has four top-10 finishes with an overall average finish of 19.8. The last seven Cup races at Phoenix saw Wallace score five finishes of 16th or better, including three top-10s in that span. He also earned positive Place Differential in four of the last seven Phoenix races.
Practice for this week's race went solidly for Wallace. The No. 23 Toyota driver ranked seventh or better in each of the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories, including fourth in both 20 and 25 consecutive lap averages. Wallace has plenty of upside with equipment that is capable of placing in the top 10 this week.
Josh Berry
Starts 9th - DK: $7.7K, FD: $7.8K
Shorter and flatter oval tracks are where Josh Berry runs best. Berry's team at Wood Brothers Racing also has a direct technical alliance with Team Penske to the point that they are unofficially considered the fourth Penske car. That is also not even without mentioning how competitive Berry has been in the past at Phoenix with this team.
In six Cup starts at Phoenix, Berry has three top-10 finishes with an average finish of 17.2. Berry finished seventh or better in two of the last three Cup races at Phoenix. He also led 13 laps and was competing for the lead earlier this season at the site before getting involved in an accident that ended his day.
Broadcast says Josh Berry is fastest on 15 lap average https://t.co/LlSACoTaTI
— Team 21 (@21_WoodBrothers) October 17, 2026
In practice for this week's Cup race at Phoenix, Berry displayed top-5 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories. This includes ranking second in 15, 20, and 25 consecutive lap averages. Berry may not carry as much potential upside, but he has a better chance of being a longshot contender to win than most around his salary range.
Erik Jones
Starts 29th - DK: $6.3K, FD: $5.8K
Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones is one of the top value drivers to consider for DFS this week. Phoenix is a track where the No. 43 driver showcased respectable results in recent races and has a low enough salary to help provide some cap flexibility to DFS players this week.
In 20 Cup races at Phoenix, Jones has 12 top-20 finishes and an overall average finish of 18.1. Jones has three straight top-20 finishes at Phoenix going into this week's race, including a finish of 10th earlier this year. The previous Phoenix race earlier in the year saw Jones gain massive PD after starting 32nd.
Practice for this week's race was solid for the LMC driver. He displayed top-15 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories, including ninth in 20 consecutive lap averages. Considering his equipment, practice speeds, and upside, Jones is a good choice for all DFS formats at Phoenix this week.
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